The Real Curse
by Succinct Disquisition
Summary: Movie universe:Ted never came back to hear the rest of the Once-ler's story, but years later he returns to the Oncler's residence to lash out at the man he feels ruined his life. The trees never grew but what else might have remained the same? Ted-ler
1. Contemplating the curse

I do not own the ideas or characters of "The Lorax", they all belong to Dr. Suess. This is my first fanfiction ever and I am looking to improve my writing so feel free to send negative reviews if you really believe it is that bad.

Warning! This will be rated M. It will have slash of the male on male variety. You have been warned!

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><p>"The day before it happened was just like any other. I awoke, dressed, stomached whatever food I could force myself to, and watched. For countless years, I gazed out across that wasteland towards Thneedsville, but now my obsession with it was faltering and fading once again. I would take breaks to eat, though, I always knew that I would find myself observing the space between the old factory and the town it once supplied with thneeds when I finished.<p>

If I had to guess, it had been nearly ten years since anyone had escaped that metal-clad city. A young boy had come, inquiring about trees, but he never came back to hear the rest of my story. I thought the kid would be different, that he would be the one to break the curse plaguing the countryside. I believed he would break my curse too.

Since he left on his wheeler, I watched the broken up path to the city with a renewed vigor, hoping that he would return if only for the rest of the story and a truffula seed to accompany it. He never did, however. Years have passed with nothing positive to show for it. The smog and decay of the ecosystem have only worsened. I often found myself fantasizing and yearning for the forest creatures' return. They were the only beings to ever accept me for myself and now they were gone because of my own selfishness.

The Lorax was right and I was too blind to see it. I kept taunting him, asking where his vengeance was but it was not something to be seen in a day or a year. I was feeling it now, decades after I cut down that first truffula tree to make a thneed.

That wasteland was only part of the punishment the Lorax left behind. The other part was something only I knew. I only acknowledged this curse twice a day but I know that it was the worst thing the Lorax could have come up with for me to suffer.

The end of the day drew near. I could barely see hints of red or orange through the smog but I could feel the familiar heaviness in my eyes. The kid would not be returning today. I pulled away from the splintering boards across my upstairs window and closed the shutters up for the night. I rubbed my sore eyes, wishing that just rubbing them could erase the memories in my head. I do not know whether I would have rathered unseeing all of the pollution my factory put out and the destruction of the beautiful forest that I caused or the forest itself. Sometimes, I could imagine being happier not knowing how gorgeous this place had been. How welcomed I felt here. How at home I really was.

I trudged down into my kitchen, reminiscing about the thriving thicket that surrounded my house. The kettle was barely warm to the touch so I fired up the stove and added a bit more water. My refrigerator contained half of a sandwich that I could not finish for lunch. Every time I ate, I would think of the barbalutes and their love of marshmallows. I slunk into my old truffula wood chair and unwrapped my dinner. As I ate and drank, I fussed with my grey moustache due to its knack for getting in the way of eating. I know I must have swallowed at least a few coarse hairs but that was not the cause of my loss of appetite. Ever since I broke my promise to the Lorax, I no longer wanted to eat. I would see those betrayed faces all over again and just stop eating.

A sigh passed my lips and I wrapped the rest of the sandwich up to be placed back into the refrigerator. The tea, however, accompanied me down stairs to my living quarters. I passed through hallways of old pictures of my family. They smiled at me, not because they were happy to see me but because I made them rich for a small time. There were faded gaps on the walls showing where I had once displayed old depictions of the forest. Rare photographs I had taken of the animals, the landscape, and the Lorax. After the last tree fell, it did not take me long to put those pictures away.

My bathroom was the same, though, the green striped wall paper was peeling far more than I should have allowed. It was clean and well kept. I began my nightly rituals. My hat was the first off, placed on the black marble countertop. Then I removed my wig, false moustache, and beard, putting them onto the dummy head and topping it all with my hat. I rinsed off my face determined not to look at my reflection as much as possible but once I lowered the green towel from my tired eyes, I could not help but steal a glance.

Those shocking blue eyes stared back at mine from beneath the same black bangs that have graced my face for years. This was the real curse. I did not change inside or out. I would remain the same unless I changed. I took a deep breath and began to strip. The articles of clothing were tossed haphazardly into the dirty clothes hamper. I stepped out of the bathroom, flicking off the lights and feeling my way to the bed. That horrible face was ingrained in my mind. Those wide blue eyes framed by feathery black wisps of hair pierced my conscience.

I would sit here, remembering forever, unless I changed. The Lorax's words lulled me to sleep as they echoed in my mind.

"As we all leave, here you will stay.

Never being forced, you will remember this day.

The swomee swans will fly, the humming fish swim,

The bar-ba-loots will flee until you're fixed by him.

Here we leave you, in this land so dry,

Waiting for your change, unless you change, you never die."

He kept telling me that the land's revenge did not work how I thought it did. He was right. I rolled over, hoping that my arm would catch a small furry animal but there were none to be caught. I never anticipated that the punishment for my actions was for me to live in this desolate wasteland unless I changed it, unless I changed myself. That one word echoed in my mind until I drifted off into sleep.

Unless."


	2. Throwing the first stone

Disclaimer: I still own none of this.

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><p>Odd noises began prodding the Once-ler's mind but he tried to deny them and remain asleep. Clunk, clunk, crash! The Once-ler tried to ignore the strange noises until his window shattered into his room. He sprang to his feet and slipped on a shard, cutting his right knee. "Shit!" He spat as he fell again on the way to his dresser. He slipped on pajama bottoms with a chorus of more rocks being thrown urging him to hurry up.<p>

On the way up to the boarded window he normally sat at, he snatched up the trademark green gloves and stuffed his arms into them. He grabbed the rope to the rotting shutters and whipped the boarded window open with a sneer across his features. "What do you think you are doing?" The bellowed in the best elderly man voice he could manage at the moment.

The shadowy figure outside lowered its arm a bit before reaching back up for a full swing and a rock flew between two planks across the window and hit Once-ler's chest. The Once-ler bent down to cradle the rock in his hands but when he straightened, the shadow was gone. The screech of wheels on pavement drew his eyes to the road to Thneedville and he caught a glimpse of someone on a two wheeled motor car without a roof. The vehicle raced back into the city and before the Once-ler realized it, he was staring at an empty wasteland again.

The Once-ler made his way back downstairs to his bedroom with his bloody knee protesting the whole way. He flipped the lights on in his room to examine the damage of both his leg and the room. His pants came off first then he sat on his bed scowling at the big red stain marring the surface of his money printed pajama pants. His mother had gotten a set made for everyone in his family. She had wanted everyone to know who the Once-ler belonged to. He tossed the bloodied garment aside with a sigh as he raised his leg for more careful scrutiny.

A shiny sliver glinted at him from between his flesh. He reached into the wound and pulled the small piece of glass out of the wound, wondering how something so small caused such a big cut. The Once-ler rose and crossed his room to the bathroom. He pulled out disinfectants and dressed the wound, wincing the whole while.

When the Once-ler returned to his room, he was reminded that there was more work to do still, before he could go back to bed. He sighed on his way back to the kitchen to retrieve a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess near his bed.

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><p>Ted Wiggins sped through the back alleys of Thneedsville on his sleek new black speeder. The main roads were more dangerous than the smaller ones he opted for at night. Ted celebrated the fact that he knew where all of the pot holes were because everything seemed blurry for some reason. The strong wind must have been making his eyes water. He made a sharp turn in front of the old pizzeria and ducked beneath a pipe only to see them eating at some fancy restaurant on the upstairs terrace. Audrey and Tavin laughed with their families, celebrating probably.<p>

Ted stopped to watch the happy couple for a moment. Despite the age difference between himself and Audrey, Ted always believed that he had a chance with her. Then that jerk, Tavin, noticed her. Tavin had been a bully when he was younger. He never messed with Ted, but he would laugh at Audrey's obsession with trees. It was easily dismissible until he found out that she intended to marry the man that gave her a real trufula tree. Every single man and even some in relationships knew that was impossible but that was not enough to deter Tavin.

No, Tavin went into the tree business to get Audrey. He was not the best at anything creative or intellectual but Tavin was smart enough to compile all of Audrey's wishes into a new artificial tree. The city calls them trufoola trees.

'A fitting name,' Ted thought, squeezing his eyes shut. He refused to cry over this because Audrey was not worth it if she would not even look his way. It did hurt though. Audrey was his best friend, had been since they were kids, and now she was moving uptown. Tree designers were upper class and Ted barely made enough to survive. Sure, he made trees too, but manufacturers were nothing compared to designers. Tavin was the most successful of the designers now too. 'Thanks to Audrey!' A bitter voice whined in Ted's head.

Ted shook his head. Willing the tears away did not work nearly as much as he wished it would. A new, more familiar, burning sprang up in Ted's eyes, so he straddled his motorcycle and zoomed home. The air was only getting worse. O'Hare had constructed a dome 'for the people' to display a more vibrant sky. The dome was pretty to look at but it kept the dirty air in instead of letting the pollution spread out. There were pumps and filters constructed to clean up the atmosphere but they could not work nearly fast enough. O'Hare did all of this, free of charge of course, to make his air even more of a necessity. Now, if people were out too long they could die. The air outside was not much better but the pollution was definitely less concentrated. Though Ted knew all of this, he did not mind any of it, smog was just another part of living in Thneedville. Surely every city had its downfalls.

The speeder dashed straight towards Ted's house as the two moved almost as one. Since Ted first got his wheeler, he has always felt secure on vehicles like they were just an extension of himself. The speeder screeched to a halt on his stoop and he dismounted, disregarding the gang loitering just half a block away. They were always there and since the first scuffle he had with them, they have not bothered him again.

Ted lifted the speeder onto his back and entered the combination on his front door. He could not get the image of the family laughing out of his mind. 'Were they laughing at me?' Tavin would not have a joystick on his door to use when unlocking it; he would probably have one of the new systems that could recognize the owners and would even open the door before they even reached the threshold.

Ted jiggled the handle and nudged the door to help it along in opening. The air inside the small living space was stale but Ted did not mind. It was cleaner than the outside. He gently placed the speeder against the wall of the entryway and stooped to examine his weekly jug of air. According to the color changing band on top he barely had any fresh air left. Ted allowed himself a small sigh, most of his good air was used on Audrey recently. She had come over early today to tell Ted about her engagement to Tavin and as always, Ted left the cap off while she was indoors. Audrey was used to having clean air. She always seemed to crinkle her nose at everything down town. Ted murmured grimly, "She probably is not used to breathing just clean air anymore. It has to be scented or nothing I guess. Ha, premium air!"

Ted poured himself a shot of water, not noticing the swampy green tinge it had anymore before gulping it down. He was running out of his water rations for this month too. Thank goodness Horace would bring him more water in the coming days. The water was acceptable but nothing compared to the stuff upper class got. They got premium water. That stuff never had the metallic taste mixed with some sort of bitter sour like the water down town. It tasted like nothing, absolutely nothing. Ted could not afford premium water even if he could find someone to deliver it to his meager house. It cost more a month than his room and board for an entire quarter!

He stepped out of the kitchenette and kicked the couch, not even bothering to watch it spin because he knew that the floor boards facing up would have his bed on them. Ted went to his window instead, to pull a lever near the frame that would open the periscope he made that pointed straight to the Oncle-lers house outside of the city. This time, he really did sigh. All that could be seen through his window was the dome-sky so he shut the trap back up and flopped down on his bed.

The whole day had been his worst nightmare. Tavin released his new trufoola tree to the public in the same ceremony he proposed to Audrey in. Ted knew because one of his coworkers had told him about it. He bailed out of work for the rest of the day to hole up in his house and be alone, but Audrey had to come over to tell him all about her wonderful news. She seemed so happy about the trufoola tree sapling she got as an engagement present, that she barely noticed who she was marrying. The sapling was cute though. It was her favorite trufula tree color, pink, and could even dispense O'Hare's premium scented air.

Ted huffed and turned onto his side to catch sight of an orange fluff by his other window. It was his very own trufoola tree, a prototype that some worker had fudged so he took it home to show Audrey. The same day, Tavin had brought home an even better prototype. Ted thought that his own had more character. It had a small bump here and there and was curved slightly. "Just how a tree ought to be, not all stiff and perfect but free and unique," He whispered to himself and let his eyelids drift shut.

A crash sounded outside and the slight jolt of endorphins made Ted smile. Every time he heard a crash like that, it made him think of that first visit to the Once-ler's house. That hammer could have really hurt him if the Once-ler really wanted it to. His visit to the Once-ler's house today resonated in Ted's mind. Throwing rocks really seemed to stir the old man up. 'Maybe this whole thing was not entirely the Once-ler's fault; he is an old man after all' Ted thought, 'He does not even know why I am mad at him. I should apologize.' With that hazy thought, Ted's mind was made up. He would not be going to work tomorrow. Instead, he and his speeder were going to take another little trip. This time he may not come back.


	3. Leaving Thneedsville

Disclaimer: I still own nothing and can make no monies off of this. Thank you to my two lovely reviewers!^.^ Much love! 3

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><p>On the way out of Thneedsville the next morning, the city was completely void of people except of course for the hawkers trying to sell their various unsuccessful goods. The people ranged from selling dirty ragged looking bodies and drugs that were more filler than substance in his neighborhood to O'Hare's bottled air and food in other districts.<p>

Ted would not blame anyone for not wanting to be out this gloomy morning. Every street he passed had precipitants of unhealthy blackish green sludge that was likely to disintegrate the speeder's tires if Ted stayed in it too long. Of course the phillaphlop would not keep people indoors though. Everyone was probably in the mid-city either enjoying the sample trufoola trees that Biggering Inc always provided when a new model was released, or they were buying the artificial tree of the week. The people of Thneedsville did so love their artificial trees, but Ted found it puzzling that no one cared a sniff about the real trees. The town was surely scrambling to order the new trufoola trees, in their bright exotic colors, but not a soul was interested in getting the real thing that those artificial trees cheaply imitated.

Even the ever present gangs were nowhere to be found that day. It was the perfect day to sneak out of the city. Ted never noticed the scenery's color changes on the way into mid-city anymore. Down town was always brown, grey and drab, even the artificial trees seemed strained with a sickly brown tinge. On the other hand, Mid-city kept things more lively with inhuman shades of eye jarring colors that Ted ignored as they whizzed by in a fantastical rainbow blur. The only slightly bumpy roads in mid-city had even been painted a disgustingly vibrant shade of light blue. People said it was to simulate the feeling of being in the air, that the sky was once that color, but Ted doubted that anything in nature was ever that obnoxious color. Thankfully, as the ever-present smog settled on the painted streets, it dulled down the blue shade to a darker counterpart. The pollution actually made parts of the city more bearable by doing so. The mid-city homes and businesses, though, were washed down nearly every day and treated to keep the building's colors as intolerable as they possibly could be. Most of the buildings in this part of town were shaped the same as they were when he was a child, most lopsided and whimsical in nature. This was no longer true for the uptown and down town areas. The two newer areas had much less color in them, the former contained mostly shades of white but occasionally let a pastel tinted house slip through. All of the houses in uptown were enormous mansions that would most likely teeter and fall if they were built like the mid-city, so they stood proud and tall just like their owners, if a little wide for their sizes though no one would say that to the faces of the over privileged. The downtown however, had buildings nearly as scrawny as the tenants. They all stood straight as well but instead of looking proud and tall, they seemed squished and could be mistaken for just trying to make themselves as small as possible so they did not get bumped into on the normally crowded streets.

These things, the buildings, all rushed past Ted in the same manner though. They were all the same to him no matter their color or stature, they were Thneedsville. All of these places were his hometown, equally so, whether they were in his financial demographic or not. They were all equally unimportant now. He was leaving, at least for the day.

The walls of the city were now hidden by enormous murals and posters. The only way to get out was to know where the gaps were already. Ted had discovered the path out as a child and kept it in mind when the inner walls were erected. His mission for his first off day after the walls were finished was to find out how to get past this new obstacle to the outside world. He had not really intended to leave the city completely. That first set of threats from O'Hare was enough to keep his younger self in line as well as the grounding he received from his mother when she found out about his adventure. He just had to know the escape route. More and more, Thneedsville was becoming a cage and all Ted really wanted was to know that there was a way out. He knew that he could not survive on his own out there but just knowing the way out of the city made him feel secure.

After just ten minutes of riding through the immense city Ted found what he was looking for. It was between a mural of mid-city and something called a fall. The fall was all blues and greens cascading into what looked like a meadow from shiny silver rocks. It seemed like something straight from the imagination of the artist, a natural fountain. Between these two painting though, was a gap just big enough for Ted to push the bag he had brought with him through then follow it on foot, squeezing through the hole, and pull his motorcycle out behind him.

Ted immediately mounted his bike and flipped on the light because the space between the city and the outside was its own man made cave that just sometimes got trickles of light to illuminate the way. Ted took his time now, careful not to scuff his speeder on any stray pipes or to hit a stray sentiplop. The sentiplops barely noticed him on his motorcycle as they went about their tasks, monitoring the valves on the wall and adjusting them accordingly. Ted liked to imagine them as real creatures from the outside despite their glowing red eyes and scaly steel skin. They moved almost as though they were alive, occasionally hopping or crawling about the pipes. Ted meandered around their foot tall forms as much as the cramped cavity would allow. He was careful not to break one, surely calling maintenance over to fix the little city workers and alerting the police that he was leaving.

Ted almost gave a start when he found himself on the top of a familiar incline. He had driven all the way to the door, without even noticing it. The door outside, despite not being used for a number of years, opened much easier than the one to Ted's house. After carefully closing it back up, Ted was off. He left the speeder's running lights on to avoid running over debris or being hit by one of the many only partially dismantled machines littering the highway. There was a time that pieces of the old machines out here were popular to have in your home in down town Thneedsville, so Ted had come out and scavenged the most monstrous evil appearing machines he could find. The selling of those 'commodities' is what paid for Ted's speeder. After he bought it, he got out of the trade. His mother was so worried about him breaking the law. Leaving Thneedsville was strictly prohibited when the machines became popular and bringing back anything from outside could be punished by death in some cases. The city did not word it that way but they would put the perpetrators on some of the most dangerous jobs imaginable. The poor saps that got caught often did not have enough money to even rent a good air filter. There was no way they could survive the toxic fumes that had accumulated in the places they were sent to work. It was a death sentence in everything but name. Ted knew that his mother had just wanted to protect him but he did not feel threatened by the city, he knew he could slip past anything the government put against him.

The ride to the Once-ler's residence was much like the one he had taken as a child sans almost losing his head to the axe blades. Ted pulled his helmet off to enjoy the much less concentrated smog of the outside. The air seemed almost clean out here. Ted supposed the grikkle grass must filter out some of the toxins.

He enjoyed the breeze against his face as he raced down the canyon, pushing the speeder's limits, racing as fast as possible down and the back up again. Ted almost laughed with glee at the feeling as his motorcycle flew up off of the ground when he reached the road on the other side of the canyon. He wished there was some way to recreate the feeling those speeds and flying gave and share them with people. Shortly after his speeder's wheels made contact with the ground again, he began to lose the fluttery feeling the exhilaration gave his heart. His stomach returned to its boring place in his middle and the excited spark that made his breath come in heavy pants left him to return to dull normalcy.

Now the rotting signs surrounded him. They all had vaguely the same message, "Go Away!" but now some displayed it from their resting place on the ground. Some were more crudely worded than others but Ted chose to ignore them all the same. He pulled his helmet back on before he screeched his bike to a halt before the Once-ler's dwelling. He brought his motorcycle back to its standard position, rather than leaving slanted, to climb off of it and approach the intimidating appearing structure.

Ted lifted his motorcycle and carried it to rest just before the porch of the Once-ler's dwelling for safe keeping. He searched the bag he brought for a long handled hammer and a shoddily wrapped package. The parcel was placed before the door carefully and Ted awkwardly knocked on the door with his hammer from around the gift.

Ted could hear muffled shouts and curses from within but waited patiently with the hammer over his shoulder. He groaned as he noticed that a bit of his offering was sticking out of a tear in the drab paper.

"Who is there? What do you want?" The Once-ler huffed out as he peeked out of a small crack between the door and frame. He seemed to eye the oddly shaped package warily.

"My name is Ted Wiggins, I am the one who broke your window last night. May I come in?" Ted's voice came out altered vaguely by his helmet, it almost had an echo as most full faced helmets do. He felt a tad breathless when he sighted those brilliant grey blue eyes again. They were just the same as when he was a child, the Once-ler did not seem to change a bit.

"Why would I let a vandal like you into my home?" The Once-ler's words stung but Ted had anticipated this.

Ted pretended to contemplate this for a moment before giving his response, "I will help you fix whatever I broke. I have some tools and stuff, plus I want to give you something," Ted emphasized his last sentence by nudging the gift closer to the door with the tip of his boot.

The older man ignored he gesture, "You think I need your help to fix my own home?" His voice came out as a raspy growl.

Ted really was taken aback by this response. The Once-ler was old, how could he fix all of this damage. Ted was always good at thinking on his feet though, "No, I think you can fix this house well enough, but I think it is unfair to make you do all the work since I was the one to mess it up. May I come in?" He asked again, hopefully.

"Take off that thing," The Once-ler's voice was filled with disdain as he waved his green gloved hand at Ted's helmet. The visitor complied tough, and removed his shiny black helmet to reveal a familiar face that the Once-ler really did not expect. The last boy who had visited him years ago, was standing on his doorstep. "Come in kid," The brunette looked just a year or two short of the age he was cursed to stay.

The Once-ler opened the door for his visitor who picked up his bike and the package and hoisted them both into the entrance hall. Once-ler stroked his beard and shut the door after the young man. "Leave the contraption by the door. Take that thing." He ordered and strutted towards the parlor.

Ted did as he was told and grabbed the peace offering for the Once-ler before following. The man really was old and moved with a stoop and a slight limp, but he had a lot more black under the grey in his hair than Ted had expected. He really did not change much since the last time Ted saw him. The Once-ler stopped in a warm yellow colored room with comfortable chairs and sofas scattered about the space. The air in the room smelled good. There did not seem to be any pollution in there, it had a welcoming scent that matched the warm intimate atmosphere that was created in the space. It did not smell like any O'Hare air Ted had ever smelled. It did not have any of those perfumed scents that were so popular among the upper class but it did have its own aroma. Ted did not have long to ponder the fragrance, however, because as soon as he joined the Once-ler in the homey room, the Once-ler was on him for information.

"Sit boy. What did you say your name was again?" The Once-ler smoothed out his green vest subconsciously as he spoke and crossed his legs before wincing and uncrossing them, settling his elbows on his thighs and leaning forward.

"Ted Wiggins." Ted answered. He placed the gift in front of the Once-ler before taking a seat across from him. The blue eyed gaze was unwavering and directed solely on Ted. Ted would not let the old kook get to him though; he leaned back in his seat with his legs spread out leisurely and gripped the back of the chair with his right arm to rest his head against.

"This is for me?" The Once-ler questioned suspiciously and Ted nodded in response. "You did not have to give me anything boy," The older man snorted before carefully unwrapping the present. His breath caught in his lungs and his blue eyes widened as he noticed pretty orange fluff poking out of the paper. "What is this?" He asked breathlessly. The rest of the paper came off much more quickly to reveal the 'defective' trufoola tree.

"Do you like it Mr. Once-ler?" Once-ler barely noticed the question as he hesitantly reached out to touch some of the orange fluff, almost as though he feared the artificial tree would turn into vapor and be lost forever just by touching it. The dreamy look on his face melted away the instant his finger grazed the fluff. The corners of the Once-ler's grey moustache dropped just as quickly and his shimmering blue grey eyes widened again beneath dark brows. This time his eyes showed every bit of his disappointment. "What is wrong with it Mr. Once-ler?"

The Once-ler gave a start as he was pulled away from his thoughts. He brusquely said, "Nothing is wrong with it kid. I just thought…" The quiet voice trailed off after a moment. The Once-ler's eyes remained trained on the artificial tree.

"You thought it was real didn't you? They are called trufoola trees; they are supposed to mimic what the real ones were like. You don't like it." Ted kept any emotion from his voice as he spoke. There was no need to show the Once-ler how he felt about the new line of artificial trees.

The Once-ler stared at the trufoola tree for a moment or two more. "Hm? Oh no, this will be just fine," he whispered. "Thank you kid," The two men shared a smile before the Once-ler got serious. "So you will be working for me to help repair my house eh? Why don't we agree on all of the arrangements?"

Ted winced at the tone in the Once-ler's voice. This may not go exactly as he planned.


	4. The color of his eyes

Disclaimer/ warnings: I cannot make a profit off of any of this because I do not own it... This will eventually be a slash story and this chapter does hint at the start of a romance between two males... You have been warned!

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><p>After a good deal of discussion, they had their plans all made up. Ted would be staying in a guest room until all of the damage he inflicted was righted. Of course, the Once-ler did not tell the boy that his limp was caused by the rock throwing as well. He did not plan to. If Ted helped him around the house until his leg got better, then he did not know if he would be able to let the boy go away again. Ted insisted on staying in his home to assist him as needed until his debt was repaid but that time certainly must be kept short. The Once-ler had always been alone, for most of his life that is, and he did not think that he could survive letting another friend go.<p>

Ted could not wait to explore old man Once-ler's place. The older man told him that he could wander as he pleased as long as he did not ruin any other part of his home. The boy took that opportunity to undo all of the booby-traps that the Once-ler had so painstakingly rigged over the years. That stupid doorbell prank was the first to go. Ted wanted to destroy that big mallet but decided against it because the Once-ler might have a need for it some day. The older man was ingenious with the way he set up traps but why would he need them? Surely no one visited him anymore. The city had a wall around it and no one really knew he was out here. The traps were definitely unnecessary now. The nineteen year old gathered the simple machines into a bunch and brought them all into the old man's basement.

Unlike the rest of the house, the Once-ler's basement was dirty, dusty, and unkempt. Ted pulled his T shirt over the bottom half of his face before he descended the steps. He deposited his burden into an old wooden crate and almost left when he saw an orange blur moving from his peripheral vision. Ted quickly flipped on the light switch and hurried to the box that the orange mess disappeared behind. Whatever it had been was gone. The boy sighed and let his hand fall away from the dusty crate, noticing words on it as the dust came off. "Do not open" It read when Ted swiped the rest of the dust away. 'Simple enough.' The boy thought as he lifted the lid to reveal hundreds of pictures.

The top one was a slightly torn drawing of an orange creature with a yellow moustache of all things. Ted brushed it away without a second thought and began flipping through photographs of forest before the Once-ler began making his thneeds. 'How could someone destroy something so pure, so beautiful?' His mind lingered on what sort of monster might have left the forest in this condition. Was the beautiful place in the photographs even the same place he saw outside? He came to a picture of a young man with some sort of bear.

The black haired boy had an enormous smile on his face as he held the bear tightly. The miniscule bear was eagerly munching on what appeared to be a marshmallow and an orange fish was peeking out of the creek behind them. Out of habit, Ted flipped the picture over to read, "Me and Pipsqueak, the last time we will ever go near that river." Whoever was in the picture had even underlined the word ever. Ted scrutinized the photograph again, taking in the boy's thin, almost lanky, form. His clothes may not have been the best fit but they certainly hung on him well. His hat suited him so well and covered his wispy black hair just right but the boy had his eyes closed. Ted could not help but wonder what color his eyes were as he began to hurriedly search through the rest of the pictures for another of this young man.

One was taken from behind him as he fussed over a pile of orange and yellow fluff. No eyes in that shot either. Ted began rummaging again but was interrupted by old man Once-ler. "What do you think you are doing kid? Get out of there now!" Ted bolted upright, and stuffed everything back into the box where it was originally, more or less. He slammed the lid back down onto the crate, spreading dust. Ted rose from his crouch, chagrined, with a feint blush spread across his cheeks that his shirt only partially covered.

"I was just looking through some old pictures. Who was that black haired boy?" Ted felt the heat rise up in his cheeks even more as he spoke but he just had to know who that boy was. The old man just turned in response and told him not to return to the basement. Ted silently watched the Once-ler lock up the door to the stairs and pocket the key. "Please, Mr. Once-ler, tell me who that guy was in the pictures."

The man turned to him with ice in his gaze, "Why would you want to know? That man was a menace! He should have never come here." Ted recoiled at the venom in his companions words. The Once-ler began his walk back over to the parlor but stumbled on a piece of wood Ted had dropped. The brunette boy rushed to his side, and helped him back up only to notice blood leaking through old man Once-ler's pants on his right knee.

"You are hurt!" Ted cried with worry staining his voice.

"No shit." Came the Once-ler's sarcastic reply.

"You are bleeding!"

"I am old."

"What does that have to do with anything?" The teenager questioned as he helped the elder into the sitting room.

"Oh, I thought we were just pointing out the obvious." The Once-ler chuckled wryly and Ted had to suppress the urge to hit the old man.

"I am going to take off your pants." Ted said levelly before reaching towards the clasp of the Once-ler's green slacks.

"What? Why?" The older man exclaimed. "I can take care of myself, I have been doing it for years. Now get off me, kid."

Ted huffed when old man Once-ler finally batted his hands away. "Then can I at least help you up to your room?" The blue eyed man grudgingly consented and after a great deal of huffing and puffing the pair made it upstairs. Old man Once-ler bid Ted good night with express orders to stay away from his room. Ted crossed his arms and hopped back down the stairs, taking in the images of ugly people the Once-ler had strewn about his lair. These had to be of his family. One person wore make-up and feminine clothes but Ted still could not decide whether the line backer's figure belonged to a man or a woman. Not a single picture on the first floor depicted the black haired boy, but Ted decided that old man Once-ler must have been one of the hick twins in most of the photographs. Neither of them had his pale eyes but maybe the pictures were just so old that his eyes did not show up as well.

Ted turned off all of the downstairs lights and made his way up stairs past old man Once-ler's room. The kitchen was on the next landing up so Ted stopped for a snack. The table was made of some heavy dark wood and had been polished to a dull shine. A copper kettle sat alone on the old fashion stove that still had a small fire under it. Ted swiftly shut the flame off and sniffed the contents of the kettle. It smelled like tea. "Heh, old man." Ted chuckled and searched the cabinets for a mug to pour himself some into. He added generous amounts of sugar before even bothering to taste the overly sweet concoction. His mouth tightened in what could almost be described in a small smile around the taste. "Needs something else," Ted stated and bent to inspect the contents of the Once-ler's refrigerator. "Nothin' in the fridge. Oh, hello!" Ted pulled out half of a sandwich and unwrapped it before chowing down on the morsel.

He examined the room as he munched and drained the contents of his light green mug. The place was quaint but had a content feeling about it. Ted noticed that the room was completely pollutant free. The smell was entirely comprised of spices and tea. There was a peculiar smell to the whole house that Ted just could not place in his mind. How was this rickety structure so smog free? He took in the drawings on the grey blue walls. They were all of some farm or something. They featured big fat birds pecking at exposed dirt and livestock gazing out in fields. Ted's favorite was a sketch of some lanky little boy leaning with one arm up on a mule. The boy's grin almost matched the black haired guys' perfectly except that the kid had a gap between his two front teeth.

A yawn hit Ted before he could protest so he dropped off his mug on the grey tile countertop and headed upstairs after making sure that all of the lights were off and the stove was indeed no longer burning. The pictures on the walls of the stairwell had all of the same ugly family as the downstairs. Even in the dark, their smiles hinted at something else more sinister than genuine. Ted opened the door to the room old man Once-ler said he could stay in and noticed that it was designed to look like a forest. There were fluffy colorful pillows on the brown sheeted bed. The carpets were shaggy in a grass green color and the walls and ceiling were painted a light blue. This blue was not sickening like the one used to paint the roads in mid-city, but instead a peaceful hue.

Ted traced the trees that looked so much like the ones Audrey had painted on her house so many years ago with a frown. She would not be thinking of him right now. Her mind would be consumed with thoughts of her new fiancée or the trufoola trees that she probably had spread around her new mansion. His gaze lingered up to wispy white oblong circles scattered across the blue space and it took his mind a moment to register what those objects were supposed to be. Those fluffy white balls were clouds, unpolluted clouds. He backed up, still staring at the painted ceiling until he fell on the bed. The cushiony mattress was enormous and Ted briefly wondered who would need such a big bed to sleep in.

Those thoughts were cut short as he turned his head and caught a whiff of the pink fluff his head was laying on. The creamy sweet smell penetrated his senses and fogged his mind with a pleasant stuffiness. He kicked off his shoes and clicked off the bedside lamp already lost in the silky texture of his pillow. Silky did not even begin to describe this sensation really, it felt like he was caressing the clouds from the ceiling except a thousand times finer. The wispy fronds of the trufoola tree had nothing on this heavenly material. This was made from the tufts of a real trufula tree. Ted wanted to keep the fluffy feeling of the pillow and its smell inside of him forever but a single image kept shattering the haze his senses created, the image of the black haired boy. Ted could not help but wonder what color his eyes were before drifting off to sleep.

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><p>Sorry about the pants remark guys but I just had to tease 'holy mother of peanuts' a bit. I actually have no idea where this story is going off to, but I know that every new review I get just drives me to want to figure it out sooner. ^.^ I am elated right now because people seem to like my insane story. :3 So glad that I decided to do this.<p> 


	5. A new painting and a pair of eyes

Disclaimer and warnings: I am not Dr. Seuss and by extension, I do not own any of this. If I did, this would be pretty shocking. This is the first chapter with anything remotely higher rated and I am a newbie at everything fanfiction especially smut so please take it as it is. If anyone has any notes to improve it, feel free to post them in a review or message me. I am aware that am a beginner.

The more adult themes will have MMM around them MMM, so if that is not your cup of tea than just bypass them. ^.^

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><p>Once-ler sneered at the mess in his kitchen. Crumbs littered the floor from what he could only guess was the rest of that sandwich he was planning on eating. There was a dirty mug next to a small pile of crumby cellophane on an otherwise immaculate counter top. The blue eyed man tossed the plastic ball into the waste bin, then washed out the cup and left it on the drying rack on his wall. Next he brushed the crumbs off the grey tiled surface and swept the wood floor. The room was now just about spotless as any other day but it just did not feel quite right.<p>

The Once-ler stroked his grey beard puzzling over the dilemma, and then it came to him. The boy had been in here. It did not feel quite right because for the first time in decades someone else was in his house. Even if the kid had not done anything irreparable, there was still the lingering sensation of someone else's presence. He knuckled his moustache, trying to decide whether he liked this feeling.

A drawing on his wall called him to it. The sketch he had done just a few years ago from an old photograph of him on the farm with Melvin seemed to draw him straight to it. His hair had a cowlick in it back then, and just seeing it in the drawing made the Once-ler adjust his top hat. He brushed his tongue over his teeth to reassure himself that that gap had cleared up then grinned back at the drawing. It did not seem to be smiling at him, however. 'What is that goof smiling at anyway?' He wondered. His mind began to drift back to that time. The happiest moments back then were when his mother gave him rare praise or when he went out to spend time with his mule.

Melvin was a great friend, always willing to listen even if he found whatever was being said insignificant. His mind drifted back to how happy Melvin was when they settled down in the trufula forest. The hurt on Melvin's face when he left with the rest of Once-ler's friends nagged him and replaced the bored expression he sported in the sketch. The mule had stuck with the Once-ler through his crazy family and when his business looked as though it would never succeed. It showed him that no one would stay with someone so greedy and obsessed with success. Even his best friend had left him.

The Once-ler looked back to the boy in the drawing. His gap toothed smile was so genuine and elated. He wondered if he could ever smile like that again. It had been so many years since then, and even if he had not changed much physically, he was not the same person. The kid wanted to know who the younger Once-ler was in all of his old pictures. Why would he care? They were just old pictures; it was not like they meant anything.

The Once-ler mused about how adamant the kid was about his younger self so much that he eventually just snatched the drawing of himself from the grey blue wall to store under the sink. The kid would never find it there. He would probably not even remember the pictures of the Once-ler's youth when he woke up. The boy would forget all about him. The small smile on the Once-ler's face faltered. If only he could forget about that ambitious young man as well. If only he could forget about everything that lead up to this moment. He sank into one of the dark chairs around his kitchen table, allowing his body to melt into the age smoothed wood. If only he could forget everything.

His knee was still complaining this morning. Whining at him from beneath the table because of all the neglect he had been showing it, but he just ignored any protests. The copper kettle joined the chorus of screams and even managed to drown out his own mind's ramblings for a short period.

The Once-ler grabbed a nice hot mug of tea and left the kitchen, determined to take his mind off of everything that it insisted on dwelling on.

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><p>Ted moaned loudly, startling himself out of his sleep induced haze. A fuzzy mess was plastered to his face in an itchy stringy blob which he promptly scraped off to realize it was the trufula pillow. He peeled himself off of the brown sheeted bed and staggered towards the bathroom. Something felt odd, more strained than his body normally felt in the morning like a spring coiled under too much tension. He stared at his reflection, eyes still blurred from sleep. He rubbed his eyes sluggishly. The cloudy gunk refused to give up its nest in the corners of his eyes so he started the shower to wash it out with. Ted's clothes had an almost sticky quality due sweat that had coated them in his sleep. He mentally berated himself for not taking them off before lying on the bed but he did not expect to fall into unconsciousness as quickly as he fell onto the mattress. He worked his pants off, not noticing a familiar bulge until he was left standing in just his underwear.<p>

MMM

A sigh passed Ted's lips and he reached across the room to lock the door before his black silky boxers joined the clothing party taking place on the floor. He stepped into the delicate rain of warm water. Images were pushed out of his mind as he began his ritual of release. A red haired goddess with sparkling green eyes normally visited his fantasies as he relieved his hormonal pressures but he was determined to push those obsessions out of his mind this morning. His desire for her had to be quelled sometime, so instead he stroked evenly keeping his mind as empty as possible.

This new method was getting him absolutely nowhere, however, so he decided to try to remember if a dream brought on the wood this morning. The digging in his mind began more as a blind groping around his memories. He finally discovered some dream that was buried under murky morning thoughts and the worries that plagued his mind. He internally clawed to get to that dream while subconsciously tightening his grip on himself. As if it were never gone the images flooded back to him. A noise escaped Ted's lips halfway between a moan and a groan as a pale slim body came into focus. Before he could even try to dispel the memory he was positive would be of Audrey, the misty form coalesced into a lean dark haired man.

A gasp was pulled out of him like the kiss of a longtime lover at the excited jump of the flesh in his grasp. He did not expect to see the young man from the pictures standing before him with his eyes closed and a small serene smile gracing his youthful features. Ted saw slight glimmers between the black haired boy's lashes as he examined the still growing cock in Ted's hand.

A whisper escaped his pale lips, lacking any true voice but still loud enough for Ted to hear over his own heart pounding up into his ears. "Is this for me?" The flirtier counterpart of the darker haired man's grin came out to play as he kneeled down to trace only slightly calloused fingers over Ted's thighs. A small pink tongue caressed the kneeling boy's lips sensually as he gently nudged Ted's hands off of the erection. A hot tentative lick fluttered over the hardened flesh before Ted was encased in the hot haven of pleasure.

The brunette's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned back to enjoy the other man's skilled work. Everything started out so slow like the lightest teasing caress but it quickly escalated to brutal suction that threatened leave Ted's very soul ragged. He knew he could not last much longer, "Look up," His husky voice graced the working boy's ears and he hesitantly complied. Ted's release came hard and strong, shooting past his fingertips into the warm stream of water to accumulate into swirling clouds before being washed away down the drain.

MMM

Ted paid his surroundings no mind though. There was just one thing imprinted into his blissful orgasm high head. Those eyes. They were wide, almost surprised looking and the sharpest clearest blue-gray he had ever seen. Ted knew them the instant he saw them but it did nothing to deter his pleasure, if anything it threw him off of the ledge faster. The eyes that he imagined on his newest impossible love interest were none other than old man Once-ler's, and he still had to go downstairs to mingle with the eccentric man. Today was going to be extremely awkward.

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><p>The Once-ler had expected the thudding of someone coming down the stairs for quite a while. It was already after noon and the lazy kid was just joining him for the day. At least the Once-ler knew the kid was clean, he had heard the shower running for quite some time as well as some unusual sounds but he dismissed anything abnormal to belonging to the old house. He began packing up his paints when the water shut off and now that the damp boy had joined him, he had all of the supplies packed away and was caught fanning the equally damp painting of the kid he had finished that morning. Ted paused on the last step with a look of sheer disappointment on his face. He shook out some of the stray droplets weighing down his bangs to droop down into his eyes slightly. He mussed up his short hair absently wondering whether he should change his hair style, it had stayed pretty much the same since he was a child.<p>

"Mornin' Mr. Once-ler," The kid said as he sat across from the older man. His smile gave him away, though, and the Once-ler arched an eyebrow quizzically.

"Something's on your mind kid," It was not a question but the brown haired boy shook his head all the same. "What is bothering you?" The pair sat in silence for quite some time, letting the minutes drip past like the excess water in Ted's hair. The Once-ler had given up on the kid answering and settled for sipping his tea quietly as his newest painting dried, but Ted surprised him.

The boy shifted in what was almost an awkward manner before he spoke quietly, "You moved the drawing of the black haired boy."

"So?"

Dark eyes met wise watery ones in a sort of challenging manner before dropping back down sadly. "I liked that one. Who was he, Mr. Once-ler?" It started as not much more than a mumble but developed into an honest question that deserved an honest answer.

The Once-ler refused to give the one Ted deserved, instead he told as much as he could at the time, "He was someone I was very close to once, but we were never meant to be together." He did not notice the undertones in his own statement but Ted certainly did, he was looking for them.

"He was your lover?" The curious brown orbs that accompanied the unsure voice searched for answers for more questions than were stated.

The Once-ler pondered that inquiry for the briefest of moments before giving the most truthful answer he could, "At one time we were as close as two people could get but eventually he became disgusted with me and decided that I was not worth ever touching again. I do not see him much any longer but he does occasionally come around. It is nothing like when he was a young man, though. Long years in the world have changed both of us." Ted nodded solemnly, apparently accepting the Once-ler's explanation and the two shared another silent moment. This one was much more comfortable, one of understanding where the other was one of unease shared by two men who were not accustomed to one another. The silence showed both boys a mutual acceptance, something neither was really used to, but also something both were open to letting in.

Ted cleared his throat when the quiet left his thoughts buzzing around his head. "He was pretty damn hot. At least you could get a guy like that." The words came out bitterer on his mouth than he wanted so he decided to make a cup of tea to wash the taste out with.

Ted did not expect the chuckle when he turned his back on old man Once-ler or the playful toned remark that followed, "So you think the lad was hot, do you kid?" Ted froze, that was what he had said, wasn't it? "Is there something you have not told me or is it a secret from the world as well?" Ted wracked his mind for an answer but none were coming fast enough. There was a hint of something peculiar in the older man's voice but it was difficult to detect and even more impossible to decipher.

"I um," Where was Ted's quick wit when he really needed it?

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><p>At times the whole world crashes down around you and squeezes you with its invisible particles as it condenses upon itself with its newly found density. In normal people language, my goal is to post a new chapter every day until this story comes to some sort of conclusion, but things do not always happen how we would like them to. If the quality of my writing declines with my mood then I will polish this story up when my life evens out. I hope that this story is still enjoyably, however, and bring as much entertainment as possible to everyone who reads. Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers.<p>

Anon: There will be true smut at some point... I already know who will top at least the first time, but you will just have to wait to find out now won't you. ;P


	6. Toupee or not to pay?

Disclaimer/warning: I do not own anything in this homosexual romance... I wish I owned the Once-ler though. I would never get anything new written but I sure would have fun. By the way, the F bomb shall be dropped so beware!

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><p>Ted had never really liked anyone other than Audrey and just the thought of him having feelings for another male was enough to make his head spin like a hyperactive carrousel. His thoughts were racing much too fast for him to pick out the best one to voice, so instead he grabbed a hold of any one of them to have something to hold onto while he endured whirling in his head. The still reeling words escaped his mouth before he could even figure out what they meant, "Well I'd fuck him,"<p>

Ted blinked in surprise at his own statement, but his companion just blew out his straggly moustache before letting out an uproarious guffaw. A blush crept onto the teenager's face as old man Once-ler cackled and coughed. The laughter began to fade. "You would, would you? I did not think you'd go that way, kid." Old man Once-ler stood, now that his amusement had ebbed, to wash out his used mug. When he glanced back at Ted, the boy appeared to be trying to fuse with his seat to avoid this awkward conversation and the ridicule it threatened to breed. He stroked his beard before deciding to put an end to the strange discussion that had taken over the afternoon. "There is some chicken in the oven if you want it. You still have work to do, kid, before you leave my domain." And with that, he strode out of the room, downstairs to his bedroom.

Ted was left there alone with his thoughts. He had no appetite. Even his hunger for an older redhead had gone away. Now, the brunette boy was left with a desire to be with another man, one with dark hair and a charming smile. He wished there was a way to be with that gorgeous guy but they were from two different times. The black haired Adonis had to be as old as the Once-ler by now. His beauty had probably been robbed from him by years gone by. Ted cursed those years for their crime against him. The man had probably settled down by now with a happy family. There was nothing Ted could ever entice the other man with. He had nothing to offer, so he would end up all alone like the Once-ler had, destined to spend his last days in an isolated old house far away from any human contact.

"No!" Ted stood. "I will not let that happen to Mr. Once-ler." His mind was now made up. He would be there for the Once-ler as long as he could be. Ted would not let the man leave this world all alone. He had to be there. He rushed down to the Once-ler's room to see the older man crouched down on the floor near the broken window. The air in this room held the disgusting smell of the outside. It drowned out most of the pleasant smells that the Once-ler's residence had built up in it. "Didn't you sleep in here, Mr. Once-ler?" The boy asked around his wrinkled nose.

"Yes, I always do." The Once-ler's voice was even more gravelly than it had been before. The smog must have been getting into his old lungs and making a home of them. It was probably throwing its disgusting trash all over the place.

"Why don't you go back into the kitchen? I can take care of the window myself, Mr. Once-ler," Ted rubbed his nose trying to decide if the air was worse than before or if he had just gotten used to the nice smells in the old house.

Old man Once-ler stared at the boy for a moment more before asking, "You are sure?" When the kid nodded his confirmation with a bright smile, the other man departed without a question more.

Ted left the room to go back down stairs. His helmet and a belt of tools still sat on his speeder. He patted the glossy black surface of the motorcycle longingly before he left it to return to the Once-ler's bedroom. His face scrunched up once more at the smell before he shoved the helmet over his head and turned its filter on. The air was cleaner than what had seeped into the room through the broken window but it lacked the pure comfortable quality the air in the rest of the house had. How could old man Once-ler sleep with such disgusting air floating about his room?

Shaking the thoughts about the air out of his head, Ted grabbed the old pair of green work gloves on that the Once-ler had left behind and got to work on the window. The broken glass left in the pane was first to go. He placed the shards in a cardboard box that the Once-ler had left next to the window. He had to break some up more to get them out but eventually he had vacated the frame and began to work the insulating rim for the window out of the socket. Pulling hard just snapped it so Ted had to opt for scraping it out with a tool he had brought. After hours of scraping the crusty insulation off the wall Ted straightened and grabbed a rag from his work belt.

He glanced around old man Once-ler's room taking in the gloomy looking green and blue color scheme. Unlike the rest of the building, the Once-ler's room had no pictures or anything decorating the walls. The bed was a more standard size than the one in the guest room and was dressed in all dark greens and blacks. It almost matched the Once-ler's clothing. The bed posts were stained in rich blacks and held a deep green canopy to drape over the bed. The furniture was stained in mostly the same black to match. All of the furnishings were lavish and large but nothing superfluous was in sight. The walls were a dark depressing blue that made the space imposing all by itself. In all, Ted expected to see something like this in Tavin's home. The furnishings themselves looked down at Ted with distaste at his cheap synthetic clothes. Everything in this room was of a higher stature than he, but he denied wooden faces the satisfaction of him leaving. He stood straighter and walked parallel to the thick black moldings on the wall to old man Once-ler's bathroom.

Behind the heavy wooden door, this room was not much more like the rest of the house. Maybe that horrid smell belonged in the Once-ler's rooms. It certainly suited them well enough. The room was clean, pristine almost, with black marble fixtures that were not overpowering but demanded recognition of their high value. The black and green wallpaper was peeling just slightly at a couple of corners in the room which made Ted feel more at home around the real silver facets and switches. Ted began to run the water in the sink to soak his work rag in and inspected the dummy head sitting on the black marble surface. 'The Once-ler must wear a toupee,' the boy thought idly. He shut off the stream of water before ringing out his rag and drying off the now soaked green work gloves with one of the deep green towels hanging on the wall. He dropped the towel haphazardly on the edge of the counter on his way out of the door.

The moist rag was then used to remove any excess crust from the window sill and the walls surrounding the hole to the outside. Ted closed the shutters and sealed the gap in the wall with a plastic cover to keep any more smog from getting in. A black wooden grandfather clock with silver inlays read seven twenty six already. It ticked at Ted mockingly as he sighed and stretched his cramped muscles. He was not used to working in one spot all day. At least at Biggering Inc he could move around the construction floor as he worked. His muscled shoulders protested moving now that he could stand straight but he forced them to swing and stretch. Legs that initially shivered unsteadily were shaken back to life and walked back out of the posh room. Ted climbed the stairs to find the Once-ler sitting at his kitchen table working vigorously in a sketchbook.

An endearing smile spread across the brunette's face as he collected a bowl of soup that old man Once-ler had prepared for dinner. He filled a glass with water marveling at how clear the water was. The whole thing could have been made of the highest quality crystal with how clean it was. Ted moved his dinner to the table and his bottom halfway to the chair he had chosen but was interrupted by old man Once-ler, "I KNOW you don't think that you are sitting down at MY table with that THING on your head." Puzzled, Ted brought an uncertain hand to his head and realized that he had not taken off his helmet or gloves from working on the window. He forced the helmet off of his head and was immediately ambushed by the spicy smells of the Once-ler's kitchen. They were quick and persistent just like the old ladies in the group home his mother now stayed at. It was not a scary assault but one from something welcoming that insisted he had been away far too long no matter how short a time it has been since he was last among them. Next the gloves came off, and he placed them all on the table, "Get those things off my table, kid," Ted obeyed with barely a thought to do anything other than what the Once-ler requested. He found himself mesmerized by those piercing blue gray eyes. They belonged more on a hunter, something willing to claw its way to the top no matter the cost, than this elderly man before him. Ted could have lost himself then and there. No wonder the black haired boy fell for those eyes.

Ted sat now and began to devour the portion he had served himself as the Once-ler continued to scribble. Ted used this time with the old man distracted to look for signs of his toupee. The black hair below his straggly white could not be real so he deemed everything atop the Once-ler's head fake. Ted chuckled at his companion's misfortune with hair, and blue eyes shot him with their scrutiny. "Just thought of something funny," The man turned back to his pad of paper. "Maybe this will not be so bad," Black brows furrowed at that last statement but no questions were voiced, the man was too engrossed in his drawing.

Ted knew that his work here would not take much longer to complete but he did not really want to return to his quaint house in down town Thneedsville. This place felt more like…. More like what? A home…?

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><p>So, I am loving getting comments and I can see why people always beg for them. They really egg me on to hurry with the next chapter instead of dragging my feet and putting off my writing. Thank you to my reviewers, and as always, thank you for reading. ^.^<p>

Challenge: I keep getting lost in Oncie's home so if anyone is up for a challenge, you can try writing up the floor plan that has been established so far. The first person who gets it right can write a request that I will try to complete whether it is in this story or a totally new one. I came up with six floors mentioned with at least one room on each. Good luck guys. I had to reread a couple of chapters just to write this segment... Does anyone else find all of Ted assumptions hysterical? His internal thoughts just make me laugh... ^.^


	7. How much trouble can one towel cause?

Disclaimer/warning: I do not own this and it has VERY MATURE content. MMM This stuff will be surrounded by this sign MMM On to lemony goodness!

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><p>The two parted ways after dinner with not much more said between them. The Once-ler went back to his normal rituals for nighttime. He locked himself in his quarters to strip down, noting gratefully that Ted closed the hole in the wall back up. He drew up a warm bath, glaring at the peeling wallpaper. He really did need to do something about that problem. A towel laid askew on his black marble counter top near the door but the Once-ler could not make himself right that problem. Ted had left it that way and that is how it would stay for the time being. The water neared his desired level so he began to take off the rest of his layers. These were ones he detested removing. Each piece cast off showed more and more of a young face. They all were placed on their mantel almost reverently but Once-ler despised what they stood for. He continued to stare at them for the remainder of the time it took for his bath to fill. The faceless head stared back at him, laughing that he could not even bear to look at his own reflection. The two had done this before, locked themselves in a staring contest between an ambitious young man and another much older one who had already climbed to the summit only to be cast off to plummet back down to the base of the mountain. It was familiar now. It did not happen every night but it did occur often enough for both to recognize it as a common course of events.<p>

Once-ler noticed the water reach its peak amount and shut off the flow to climb into the marble tub. The water felt so relaxing. No, the whole day felt more relaxing than normal. Today he was not waiting for anything. The Once-ler did not think that what he was waiting for had come but he did not feel that he had to wait for it anymore. If it was coming, it would come without him wasting his days waiting for it. He washed himself in his habitual ways, from top to bottom, and got out of the bath. The stopper was stuck again and refused to give up its place. It was an insolent child that would not learn its lesson no matter how he tried to punish it. He heaved and puffed as he pulled on it. The extra stress only made his leg ache more. This match of strength became a more lengthy battle in the war, but after a particularly tremendous heave, the stopper lost the tug-of-war and the Once-ler tumbled onto his butt. With his legs and arms strewn about and his body naked and dripping, sitting on its now sore rump, he huffed. Throwing a tantrum, he hurled the stopper back into the depths from which it came and exited the bathroom slamming the door in the process. He did not give a second thought to the soft thud that sounded from the other side of the door; instead, he launched himself onto his bed. The green sheets wrapped around the wet body consolingly and coaxed all of the stress out of his body with soft caresses. The Once-ler fell asleep in their loving embrace.

Not many hours had passed when blue eyes sprang open. Sleeping in all that water was a horrible idea! The Once-ler shot up and over to the bathroom door in record time on his sleep wobbly legs. The handle turned easy enough but when Once-ler tried to push the door open, it caught on some resistance. Again and again he tried but the urge to pee overwhelmed him so he left the mocking door behind to bolt upstairs to use the only other bathroom in his house. He took stairs in twos and threes until he reached the landing he was after.

Not even trying to sneak, he burst through the bedroom door and rushed into the room's bathroom to urinate. The Once-ler barely kept the sense of mind to close the door behind him before he turned on the lights and relieved himself. Feeling much better, he flushed the toilet and rinsed his hands before opening the bathroom door to leave.

Then he was frozen, standing in the bathroom doorway with his hand poised to flip the light switch, utterly naked, with a startled brunette squinting at him. The boy yawned, bringing one hand up to cover his stretched jaws. He tossed the brown sheet off of his body and approached the strange man who was using his bathroom in the middle of the night. Ted swallowed audibly when he realized that the face belonged to the black haired boy. His wide eyes looked startled but in the poor lighting he could not see their color. "My, my, my, what are you doing in my bedroom at this hour?" The brunette's eyes trailed downward on the other man's lithe frame. "Without any clothes, too. This must be my lucky day."

MMM

The kid was standing much too close for Once-ler's liking. His words ghosted across the black haired man's chin and he thanked the heavens that he had a couple of inches advantage on the other boy. Those thanks came back to taunt him, though, because before he could blink the kid had hooked a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him right in for a kiss. His mind surged, 'The kid is kissing me!' Where his mind had lost its clarity, his body reacted almost instantly. He snaked his arms around Ted's waist and pulled him flush against himself to deepen the kiss.

Ted caught on quickly and slithered his tongue from its cave to gently tickle the other man's lips until they parted. The pink appendage then took over the Once-ler's mouth and took this time to explore with an inexplicable expertise.

The passion in the kiss clouded Once-ler's mind with thoughts he never thought he would see the likes of again. These distracted him for just long enough for him to be directed backwards toward the bed. His knees buckled at contact with the mattress and his head bounced slightly when he fell back. Ted was wasting no time though. The brunette explored a pale expanse of chest with calloused fingers and grazed nipples harshly before swallowing whatever gasps the man beneath him let out in harsh kisses. He nipped The Once-ler's bottom lip before delving his tongue back into mouth he had only fantasized about before. Wandering hands dragged down the sides of the black haired boy whose own fingers were buried into soft sheets trembling. Kisses trailed across to Once-ler's ear and a husky voice sent the desert wind across small appendage. "I will make you feel so good if you let me," The Once-ler let out a shaky breath only partially at the boy's words because at that same moment warm hands had wrapped around his unclothed erection. "May I?"

Ted heard the man beneath him gulp before he nodded cautiously. Ted gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He scooted down the other man's body to his pelvis and eyed his penis curiously. It moved in his grasp when he licked his lips. Something permeated through his lust confused mind, a smell. This man was the other smell in this house and oh how Ted wanted to taste that smell too. His tongue left his mouth to circle the tip of the other man's erection and slide across the leaking slit on top. The taste was much better than he had heard, maybe just because of whom it was he tasted. Ted dived down onto the Once-ler to take as much of his neediest organ into his mouth as possible. He gagged a little but the loud moan it earned him was enough to encourage his actions. He began to bob his head in the uncoordinated fashion of a beginner, only taking in as much of the black haired boy as he could. It did not take long for the boy to get his bearings, though. His rhythm evened out and the Once-ler moaned out his appreciation between heavy pants and gasps.

Ted chanced a glance up as he worked the other man further towards his orgasm and what he saw made him drool even more. Black hair was splayed about the thin man's head and his eyes were screwed shut under furrowed eyebrows. His head surged backwards at a particularly hard suck and his red cheeks darkened in pleasure. Another gasp escaped the Once-ler's lips which were parted in a blissful expression. Ted smiled at the other with his mouth full even though he could not see it and decided to take on a new task now that the blow job was on the right track. He caressed the black haired man's thighs with both hands and brought his grasp around the outside and wormed them beneath his thighs to coax Once-ler's legs to lift up. Ted swallowed and the legs bent up further as the Once-ler arched his back with a pleasure filled groan. Another obscured grin stretched around the Once-ler's hardened dick.

Ted grabbed the base of the penis before him while simultaneously inserting a rough finger into Once-ler's ass. The writhing man hardly noticed the intrusion or anything beyond the divine mouth sucking away at his nether regions, but his body did notice. Ted struggled to thrust his finger due to the Once-ler's orifice clenching around it. He removed his other hand from the erection to massage the other man's hip. The opening began to loosen and after a few more thrusts of his finger. Ted added a second and began to work them in and out to loosen the muscles. His other hand did not return to Once-ler's penis, though, instead it strayed just a bit further between the black haired thighs to gently rub on his scrotum.

The Once-ler arched again, almost choking Ted in the process. The wonderful sensations were bringing his squirming body closer to a feeling that he had not experienced in decades. His black haired head whipped around as another finger was added to his rectum and the tickling of his balls was evolved into a rubbing jiggle. A steady swallowing around his dick began and his ears began ringing, toning out even the loud beating in his head. Fingers brushed his insides in the ideal way and he glanced down at the kid who was so engrossed in his mission that he seemed to forget that there was a person attached to that dick. Ted dove down again while arching fingers in just the right way to make Once-ler cry out in his release. "Ted!" The name fell on deaf ears. One man was wrapped in an extraordinary world of white bliss while the other was trying not to choke as he swallowed up all the hot seed that shot into his mouth.

The Once-ler gasped with ragged breath as Ted joined him back at eye level. The black haired man looked so at peace in his excited numbed state that Ted wanted pound that serenity out of existence. Instead he settled for asking, "Was it good?" in a rough voice created by the friction and come of the blow job. Lust darkened eyes sprung open and Once-ler lunged his upper half off the bed to capture Ted's lips in a kiss that was so expressive it could talk. 'Yes, yes, it was.'

Ted returned the kiss with a searing vigor that pushed the black haired man unto his back again. His hands were rough when they groped the body beneath them this time. The nervous hands that once clutched the covers were now exploring an exposed back and burying themselves in sweaty hair. An adventurous hand slipped Ted's boxers off which were kicked to an area banished from the minds of the two kissing men. One hand guided Ted's erection towards Once-ler's waiting entrance causing Ted to groan wantonly before he plunged into the perfect heat of his lover. The black haired man moaned demandingly and Ted acquiesced to his unspoken words by rocking steadily into his body. It only took a few humps for the two to establish a rhythm. They shared one more sloppy kiss in their heated passion before Ted rose up to slam into Once-ler at a better angle. Once-ler arched his back causing Ted hit his prostate. A scream ripped out of his lips and he tried to voice his want between needy gasps but no distinguishable words could be moaned out.

"I got ya," Ted said huskily before grabbing Once-ler's hips to keep that angle with his thrusts. Ted's climax caught up with him as almost blue eyes flashed at him from under the lids of the black haired man writhing beneath him. He thrust once more into the blissful cavern of the Once-ler before calling out a name in his orgasm, "Once-ler!"

The black haired man gasped when he heard his name escape the lips of the gorgeous brunette above him. Those dark eyes were focused on him alone as the boy jerked further into his prostate causing him to climax as well. The Once-ler screamed over the boy's voice calling out his name again. Both men heaved as they attempted to regain their breath. Ted fell off to the side of the other man and wrapped his arm loosely around the Once-ler's chest smiling contently.

MMM

The Once-ler fell asleep in a warm embrace for the second time that night. Ted realized what he had said in his explosive state and decided to apologize though the other man could not hear him. "I am sorry for calling you the Once-ler," the boy mumbled out before sleep took him as well into her soft blanketed haze.

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><p>So I am having some personal issues right now that need to be righted...now... I did not edit this one fully but wanted to post it before I join my two leading men in their party. This was my first ever lemon so please help me out if you do not like it. I can only learn if you tell me. ^.^ I hope you enjoyed this as much as I am... ahem, well tootaloo! Now edited! ^.^<p>

If you enjoyed this sin against Dr. Seuss, please tell me so in a review. If you do not I may just drop this story to work on another until I get the sudden urge to write in this one again. ^.~


	8. The epic of sneaking out in the morning

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This chapter contains the crime of streaking in one's own home.

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><p>The Once-ler awoke first to feel an unfamiliar weight spread across his middle and even more surprising object resting on his chest. Ted's head was resting on his bare chest and even though he could not see anything beyond the other male, he had a good feeling that he was missing other articles of clothing besides his shirt. A small puddle of drool had accumulated beneath the slumbering brunette, but the serene expression on his face made up for it and more. The Once-ler did not want to leave the warm hold but he absolutely could not let the kid catch him in his bed. So he added a hand to the base of the soft brown hair and gently lifted the sleeping cuddler. As he laid Ted onto a fluffy orange thneed pillow, brownish green eyes fluttered open and caught him in the act.<p>

The kid smiled softly before mumbling words so softly that they barely reached the Once-ler's ears before evaporating into nothingness, "I hoped it was you, Mr. Once-ler." Their lips met, just a light touch that was hardly there. When Once-ler pulled back up into reality, though, Ted's eyes were already hidden by lids with a light dusting of lashes on their tips. Once-ler sat up, ignoring the pain in his rear end to stand and walked towards the door that was still left ajar from his running through it the night before. "You coming back?" The kid was propped up resting backwards on his elbows with his head lolling about lethargically. His eyelids were still dropping and his hair stuck up from his head at all angles but boy did he look just right for ravishing.

"I will see you tonight, Ted," The promise had escaped his mouth before he could even attempt to stop it. The kid responded by mouthing the name, Ted, before flopping back onto the bed. Once he was lying again it did not take him long for his breathing to even out. The brunette would have looked right at home in the trufula forest. His light blush accented the light blues in the sky painted over his head and Once-ler could almost see the shadows playing across his maturing features from leaves dancing in the wind. That would be perfect. The Once-ler left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

His content smile got shot and shoved off a cliff leaving only a grimace in its wake when he turned from the door. He now had to go down two flights of stairs to clean up in his bathroom. Today was going to be a real trial. Every stair was a mini battle in the epic war to return to his bedroom. His right knee screamed at every new drop off and his anus added more angry remarks to the mix, like a grumpy old man whose chief purpose is to gripe all day. Each step brought a new wince or scowl to the Once-ler's face but he endured. By the time he finally made it to his bedroom door, he was scoffing and leering at anything that got in his way, and his ragged breaths came in heavy puffs. He entered his room, locking the door immediately, and glowered at the dark heavy wooden door that had denied him entrance just the night before. A light stick made quick work of finding the problem in the door. The moment he peeked through the crack under the heavy wooden slab he knew, it was that towel.

A growl was directed at the green mass behind the door. The Once-ler straightened to find the ruler he knew had to be hidden in his room. The deep green tiles were chill beneath his feet as he moved about the chamber. He could envision that marble coming from the tundra and the veins in it as specific qualities of the icy desert. The darker striations were the dirt that was ever present in most places, with the exception of Thneedsville, and the white ones were ice that was so compacted that it would remain frozen for eternity. Its only good quality was that it made rushing about his room even more of a game because of chill morning air. Another heavy drawer was pulled open to reveal several pairs of underwear with a wooden ruler thrown in between, sticking up out of the fabric like the arm of a sailor cast off of a ship trying to find someone to rescue him from the rolling seas. The Once-ler obliged of course, snatching the wooden survivor out of his hold to bring him back over the the bathroom door for his newest mission.

The ruler slid about under the doorway freely enough. It forced a retreat from the terrorizing towel and brought joy to one man who was now dancing in his bedroom naked. He opened the heavy door and kicked the green abortion before a realization crashed down upon him. That towel, that glorious specimen of toweliness was the cause of all of the most spectacular events that took place the night before. The Once-ler bent down to kiss wonderful devious little creature. He turned to the dummy head that just smirk back at him knowingly. Blue eyes narrowed at a faceless old man and a look with eyebrows drawn like guns and lips twisted like they imprisoned a lemon went unnoticed by the made up head. Once-ler stole away his hat to place it back up onto his head staring back at the dummy and now the towel that had joined forces with the head, with a challenging smirk. He ruled this place, and no one was about to ruin it for him.

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><p>Ted woke up bleary eyed as usual but with a sense of undeniable triumph. The bathroom light was left on, his boxers were still clinging to the edge of his dresser, and the whole room had a certain smell to it. The smell of sex was definitely evident but another scent had also lingered to cut through the feminine odor of butterfly milk, the smell of his late night visitor.<p>

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><p>I have a confession to make! The comment about maybe not updating was all just a cruel joke. I already had this chapter written up last night, I just needed to edit it before posting. Thank you for the reviews though. "Ain't I a stinka?" I love that freaking towel... It is my hero!<p> 


	9. A tough decision

Disclaimer: I own nothing...

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><p>The Once-ler was all made up when Ted made his grand entrance into the kitchen. The kid had an insufferable grin on his face as he made up a plate of pancakes that the Once-ler had left out. The stack was so high it could have teetered off the plate but the older man said not a word. "So how did you sleep, Mr. Once-ler?" The boy chirped happily around a mouth stuffed with syrupy goodness.<p>

Half of the bearded man's face seemed to be drawn up quizzically at the question. He answered in a bland monotone as he returned to his drawing, "The same as always I suppose," He lied.

"Did you enjoy-" The brunette cut off his statement as his nose was assaulted by a horrid smell, "What the hell is that stench?" It smelled like a fire, where normally smoggy emissions were the worst odor endured.

"What, the smoke?" Old man Once-ler questioned sardonically, "Oh a traitor just died this morning." A green gloved hand waved any concern off easily. Ted sported a bewildered expression for the remainder of the meal looking from the mountain of flapjacks to the drawing man and back again, "What has my mind all tied into knots is the mystery of how you are awake before lunchtime," A feint sprinkle of pink spread across Ted's cheeks like a wildfire. Maybe he had imagined this morning and the man from last night was not the same one sitting across from him. Hell, with his luck, the night before may have all been a very intense, realistic, wonderful dream.

"We should talk about last night?" Unease laced his words with doubt that he could not extract. The same blue eyes from earlier this morning twinkled back at him.

Old man Once-ler stroked one moustache peering of to the side, thinking, before blue gray eyes drifted across a sea of white to focus on Ted once more. A friendly smile pulled up the coarse hair on the corners of the Once-ler's mouth. "You talking about how you laughed at the soup I so painstakingly slaved over to serve you, or the fact that you wanted to disgrace my table with the presence of that ugly black thing you insist on wearing on your head?" There, that should be plenty enough to throw the kid off. The Once-ler was pulling his lie off quite nicely if he did say so himself.

"And after dinner?" The kid was reluctant to ask. He knew what the answer would be. The other man he was with was in no way the person before him. His worst fears were confirmed when the older man arched a dark brown quizzically at him. "We went to bed," He finished sharing a nod with the still pleasantly smiling man. Ted stared down at his plate of pancakes dejectedly. They mocked him with their sweet and buttery goodness. They spoke of mornings spent sipping coffee and munching down on their delicious brethren, while gazing over to an unattainable idol across the worn table. On those other mornings, the pancakes would still be hot and fresh, flipped skillfully by his imaginary lover who had somehow acquired a frilly blue apron. That vision was wholly imaginary, though, despite the greatest efforts of Ted's will.

Ted could not take the constant nagging in his head that he had fabricated the best night of his life. He had to escape. The Once-ler was just sitting around scribbling on a note pad but it was all just too much. Those gorgeous blue gray eyes had none of longing that they held in the bedroom. Ted just had to escape the sadistic mirth that had begun to roost within his mind. "I'm gonna go work on that window of yours," His body bolted out of the chair and fled the the kitchen jerkily before words could find their way out of the Once-ler's gaping mouth.

Ted stopped at the final step to look back upstairs towards the Once-ler. He could not see him through the walls but he knew that the old man would still be sitting in that chair, still sipping at his tea and drawing whatever weird farm thing had taken up his mind this morning. Ted was only right about most of his assumptions. The Once-ler was still sitting, sipping steaming tea, and drawing but he was not drawing anything that could be found on a farm. His new sketches were more interesting than chickens or cows. His real muse was an ecstasy driven brunette captured in the throes of passion. There was no question in that top hatted head which drawings he preferred.

Ted spent the whole day fitting a new pane into the windowsill and sanding it down to size. He lost himself in dark thoughts about being tortured by memories of a man that he would never truly have. The kid did not even join the Once-ler back in the kitchen until much later at night. The boy bypassed the kitchen with barely a glance to continue on to his room and take a shower. His legs were sore again today because of standing still for so long and his body craved some sort of sustenance but he denied it for sleep. It was his only hope to see his mystery lover, the man who had haunted his thoughts the whole day through. His face, body, smell, but mostly those eyes remained engraved in his every thought. He had even tried to replace the new obsession with his old one for Audrey, but his memories of her were pale in comparison for this other man. He was gorgeous, Ted new that before he even met him. But when he scurried into Ted's life and then just as quickly vanished, he left an impression on the boy. Ted's mind was an artist's tracing table with the dark haired man's image imprinted on it in the most permanent way possible, and all other thoughts that stacked up on that table were made of fine tracing paper. No matter what he threw onto the table and how many, he could never obscure his real desire. Audrey had once been a filmy plastic sheet pulled over his eyes that blurred the rest of the world. But now, the cellophane had been torn from his face and when it was placed on the glowing tabletop of Ted's mind, it almost disappeared entirely. He slipped from consciousness praying that his mysterious lover would come again. He had told Ted he would, hadn't he?

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><p>The Once-ler stored away all of the extra pasta he had cooked, which was a lot because the kid had eaten none of it. He had cranked out some imported ingredients to wow the boy with his culinary expertise. There were crescent shaped pink things mixed in the creamily sauced pasta swirls. They were some sort of crustacean from the estuaries to the west. Their somewhat rubbery texture and deliciously salty sweet taste went perfectly in the Italian dish. After packaging up his new creation for the day the Once-ler slunk back downstairs to his room. The rich dark room seemed so much lonelier than it had in the past days.<p>

Ted had barely spoken to him today and he knew exactly why. He had lied to his new… his new… what? Ted could not quite be described as a friend. Once-ler had only ever had one thing that had ever come even remotely close to one of those before, the Lorax. That relationship ended in disaster because of his own faults. Then what was the kid? A lover, did you have sleep with someone more than once to be their lover? He surely could be nothing more than either of those: a friend with benefits or a booty call. That was it.

He tossed the top hat down onto his bed and began to practically rip his suit from his body. Should he see the kid again tonight? He had promised, but he knew that if he went through with another night like the one before that he would never want to let go of Ted again. The kid was already growing on him enough without having his world rocked on a nightly basis by the energetic brunette. What if he did go over again? Would he keep up this charade until the kid finished his window? All it really needed now was a sealant. The young man would be leaving soon and he would probably just forget all about the guy he screwed while staying at the Once-ler's house. What if he confessed his true identity to the kid? No, bad idea. Ted would probably think that screwing such an old man was disgusting, no matter what he looked like. He seemed to know who he was in the morning but he looked so uncomfortable at the kitchen table. If he never shows up again tonight then the kid will not have to worry about letting him down easy when he returns to his normal life in Thneedsville. He would not go, one more broken promise could not screw his life up too much more. The fake facial hair was tossed into the bathroom without a care. The Once-ler put on some sleep pants. This pair matched his favorite pair of boxers, white with red hearts. His taste had not changed that much since he was a kid. He climbed into bed and tried to will himself to sleep.

His breathing evened out but still no sleep, something seemed wrong. Blue eyes snapped open once more and he walked over to his bedroom door. The lights were still on. He flipped them off and opened the door. Which started an internal monologue accompanied by him walking back and forth from his bed to his door, 'One more night with the kid could not hurt. He will not be around much longer, so no harm done. No, what am I thinking? I cannot possibly take advantage like that. But I really like Ted. Ted would not want me, though; he just wants a fuck buddy since he is stuck at my home for a few days. Then shouldn't I give him what he wants? No, I would not want to give him up after. But- No!" The Once-ler stopped his pacing and leapt into the bed to throw the covers over his fluffy black hair. This was going to be a long night, no matter what he decided.

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><p>youtube .comwatch?v=sDIjLOiNMz0&feature=related This is a link to a Once-ler video that I enjoyed so I thought it would be a nice thing to share. The video is by someone named silverwindghost and does not belong to me.

So, this agent is feeling pretty lonely today due to getting flooded into her house. I have decided to leave the next chapter up to the reviewers. You have twenty hours to vote and only two choices, unless if someone comes up with something I like better.

The first option, which I like more involves no smut in chapter ten but does include a sexy striptease for the next lemon. You do not have to fret if you are after your pron fix, however, because along with chapter ten I would be posting a oneshot I have been working on. This will only be posted tomorrow if you vote for option A. The Once-ler breaks his promise and does not visit Ted.

The second option leads to another lemon in chapter ten, but no sexy strip tease. I will not post the oneshot along with this chapter because it takes me too long to get through a single lemon. I have issues with it. This would be option B: The Once-ler keeps his promise and does visit Ted.

Remember to vote or I may not post anything at all. Show me you love this story and I may think about more ways to continue it. As always, much love to my reviewers. You guys 'make this ever loving world go round.' Brownie points if you get that quote. ^.^


	10. The Loss of a True Friend

Disclaimer: Dr. Seuss made these characters and stuff...

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><p>Wide blue-gray eyes stared into pitch black. They had for hours now, barely blinking. Everything on the outside was calm in the bedroom done up in greens, blues, and blacks. What was happening behind those unwavering eyes was a different story. The Once-ler had not slept for hours. He had broken another promise, but this time he knew that it was the right thing to do. The kid deserved better than being stuck out here with him, and if the kid did leave, he would take the Once-ler's heart with him. That was, if he accepted what the Once-ler was. The Once-ler had lied to the kid, deceived him. There was no reason for the kid to start a relationship with him. It was just a onetime thing or a short fling, at most. There was no reason for the boy to even like him. The kid was attractive with developed muscles that were not over the top. He had gorgeously expressive brown eyes that would shine green in the right lighting. His smile had a way of just leaving the older man breathless. He was a perfect specimen of an attractive young man.<p>

Thin legs swung over the side of the bed. The Once-ler still had lingering pains in his lower back but they were more of a dull aching reminder of a great night than an annoyance. He rubbed his eyes and strode into his bathroom to start his normal routine. On went his fake persona and whatever hope had been in his cloudy blue-grey eyes left him. His face seemed to sag today. Maybe he was really aging again. A man can hope right?

He left the protection of his quarters to venture upstairs, both excited and dreading seeing his houseguest. What was there shocked him though. On his kitchen table was a fist sized, dirty, grey rock with one word carved into it. Unless. He sat across from it. He let hours more pass just sitting at the kitchen table waiting. He could not possibly stomach food. He did not even want to drink tea. His belly did summersaults at the mere thought of edible substances. Everything in the room seemed to be slowly swarming closer to him. The walls were closing in, the ceiling dropping. Eight hours he waited at the table and still nothing. It was two hours into the evening now and the kid had still not come down from his room. He rose swiftly, knocking the chair he was sitting in down in the process and rushed to climb the stairs. He could not have, could he?

He threw the door open as he came to it and rushed into the room almost falling when he quickly stopped himself. A brown covered head rose to regard the intruder then fell back onto a pillow when it decided he was not worth the energy. The kid looked horrible, like he had not slept a bit last night either. He was wearing bed crumpled clothes. His hair was sticking out in every direction but it looked like he had been running his fingers through it during the night. Under his chestnut hued eyes were developing circles of purplish black. His limbs were drawn tightly towards his chest and now that his head was back on the bed, it was nudging its way closer to the gathering. He looked broken.

The Once-ler could not bear this sight, "Kid-?" What question could he possibly ask? What happened? Are you okay? He knew the answer to both of those. Or he at least thought he did. The kid was upset that he was stood up and he obviously was not okay. The once-ler cleared the lump that was forming in his throat away before trying again, "Do you want something to eat?" What a stupid question! Why would he say that, but there it was, out in the open.

"You murdered my friend," Was Ted's quiet response. His friend, what friend? The Once-ler was drawing blanks. Was he talking about the trees?

"What?" He could not even begin to understand this situation.

The kid sat up with his arms wrapped around his knees. His dark eyes searched solemnly for something before a weak smile barely touched his mouth. "The traitor, a towel? Really?" A small breath of a laugh fell from the soft lips of the teenager. His eyes closed gracefully with a feint glimmer of welled up tears between dainty lashes.

The Once-ler was really at a loss for words. Ted could not possibly be this upset over a towel. "I have other towels, T-kid." He almost slipped and spoke the boy's name and a small dip of the eyelashes told him that Ted noticed. "So, do want any food? I can tell you are sick so I will not make you work today. Do mental illnesses still count as sick?" He grinned, making his fluffy moustaches spread their full wings.

Ted chuckled and hit the older man with the pillow his head had been resting on. The Once-ler's hand sprang up to make sure that neither his hat nor his wig came off. "I am not hungry. Thank you Mr. Once-ler." The kid's voice belied resigned undertones. It was coated thick with a quality that spoke of rejection. The Once-ler knew that feeling all too well. Was this kid like him? Had he been scorned by his family too? Did he have friends? Maybe Ted was not as popular as the Once-ler had imagined. The Once-ler put an arm around the hunched young man, just something to show that he cared. To him, that small gesture seemed so much more intimate then the sex they had. The kid leaned into his chest. Every now and then Ted would sniffle a bit but the two did not speak. The Once-ler wanted to be there for the kid, he did not feel he had to, he wanted to. Ted just wanted to be held. A strange feeling tugged at the back of his head but he quelled it to enjoy the presence of the elderly man.

The two boys let the moment stretch on for an hour before Ted finally broke the silence, "I would really like some of that tea you keep making me drink. And I think. I think I want to go back to bed." His eyes looked hopefully at the Once-ler's. The Once-ler nodded once slowly to the boy and rose to fulfill his orders. Back in the kitchen was that rock. It spoke volumes with just that one word. Unless. Unless what? The Once-ler did not know.

He turned his back on it to start the tea. There had to be something he could do for the kid. He did not know what to do but he did know that he would fix this. He wanted to be with the kid, wanted to see him smile again. He would see him smile again, whether or not the kid wanted it. By the time the copper tea kettle began shrilly screaming, he had come up with a plan. He would see that the kid was happy. He just had to. Seeing Ted like this was something he never wanted to do again. It was the Once-ler's new mission to make sure that Ted never felt like this again.

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><p>So option A won out. Sorry to those of you who voted for B. I hope you like this chapter... I have little goodies in store for later chapters so if you enjoy this story review and stay tuned... If you do not like this story please tell me why you are still reading it... .; Thank you to all who voted and thank you to my reviewers. You guys give me the courage to post more. ^.^<p>

R.I.P. It was not apparent enough in previous chapters that my favorite, cough cough, little devious mind in this story had passed away. Ted and I mourn this loss. Remember Towel died to give us all smut. You should show your respect.


	11. Finding things that could be used

Disclaimer: I do not own the world, characters, or ideas of the Lorax.

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><p>Ted was true to his word and fell asleep after being given a hot mug of tea. The sleep was shallow and did not last long, haunted by memories of his mystery lover. He remained in bed for the rest of the day, eating left over soup and pasta when it was brought up to him and shooing the older man away when he lingered upstairs. His countenance improved as he ate and slept. Dark circles disappeared and were replaced by lively gesticulation when the kid spoke.<p>

The disappointment in not spending much time with the kid was shrugged off by the Once-ler, he had a new project for the first time in ages. This endeavor would work, spawning nothing but good, he knew. He was down in the basement now. Collecting the items he knew he would need to complete his foreign task. He had seen something of his idea's kind just once before. A gorgeous coquette thought it would earn her a few extra bucks when he was still on top of the world. Carefully selected items made a careful pile off to the side. Nothing was dusty like he expected, the wooden crate he had stored the items in must have protected them. They were keepsakes from the far past, a time when he was a very different person. One with hopes. One who knew where he wanted to go. The person he once was had a future. Where had all that gone? He ignored a familiar batch of colors as it moved in the far reaches of his vision. He knew that every time he attempted to catch the teasing mirage, it would be gone. Instead of worrying about it, he continued about his own business. The orange mass of fur would eventually complete his task and leave just as quickly as he came.

A hefty weight settled within the tall man's heart, weighing down the beating organ so it dropped deeper into its cavity to press all of the organs beneath it into a constant state of unease that throbbed with every pulse sent through his body. He had hurt two people he cared about with broken promises. It was not about the disappointment the individuals felt for him. He was used to that feeling. His mother had instilled it within him at birth and it was only magnified as he grew. Average disappointment was something he was very accustomed to. The Lorax and the kid's disappointment was different though. They actually expected him to do something. They thought that he could keep his word. They believed in him when it was so obviously unwarranted. He actually let them down. He collected all of their hopes for him and cast them away carelessly at the first test of his honor. The fact that they felt he could keep his word and was worthy of their trust was scathing. Because of his own short comings, he had lost everything he ever held dear.

He still had vast amounts of wealth but what would he possibly want to use it for? All of the money in the world could not fix his mistakes. The only thing that had a chance of righting the world was much more valuable than riches. He knew what might help but it would take time and most of all effort. Hard work was the most important thing he could give to his self-made problems. The one thing he could throw at them relentlessly that may have a hope. He would not just give up this time. There had to be an end. The Lorax had left behind the word "Unless", that had to mean that there was a chance. Unless something. Once-ler vowed to himself to discover what that something was. The desecrated forest had waited so long already, a little longer could not possibly do too much more damage. Ted was his current conundrum. Unless he did something, the kid would continue to hurt and he would lose Ted forever. Unless he did what though? Once-ler had no clue to what the answer of that question was, but he knew that he would try anything to find out. He had travelled insurmountable distances to make his thneed. To create something he thought he needed that would only cause the world more hurt. Now that there was something he knew he needed, he was sure that he had the necessary strength to see this cause through to the end. He would find the unless, and he would do anything to mend what he had broken.

Once-ler straightened to his full height. His wiry form towered over dusty crates, boxes and drums. A throat cleared in a familiar mossy voice to get his attention. Nothing to cause it was there when the Once-ler turned, of course. Once-ler knew that the noise not brought into existence so that he could see what made it. The utterance was sounded to draw his attention to something else. Something that a onetime friend of the Once-ler thought he might need. A familiar worn brown case sat atop a crate. Its peculiar shape more than hinted at its contents. That shape was unique to one kind of item that the Once-ler had become acquainted with long ago. The case had not changed a bit since it was stored away down here but it was topped off by something that the man had not seen in just as much time as the case itself. On top of the second hand old case was a familiar grey shape banded with black. The apparition knew what he was doing. He was helping his friend pick up all of the broken pieces. The pile was moved from the dusty cavern to inhabit the cleaner house above ground along with the items someone had taken the time to bring attention to.

It felt right carrying that case in his arms again. Maybe this was not the unless he was looking for but it was a start. He was determined to start, no matter where that beginning was, he had to start. This was his start. A determined fix took over his jaw and he narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the world he had built up around himself. He knew that nothing would change unless he did it himself, Maybe that was the unless he was looking for.

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><p>So, this has been kind of confusing to readers apparently. If you feel that you know enough about the story without me having to explain the previous chapters then you do not want to read this. First of all, many people have asked me if the Once-ler is stuck then he is dressing up like an old man... yes... just yes in general. He is wearing the same clothes he did at the end of the movie and has false grey hair in a wig, mustache and beard. Why does he dress up like he is old? It is a human condition that has yet to be explained in the story but will as the PLOT progresses. Why does he not just jump Ted's bones all the times? That is not always how REAL relationships go down. The real world has conflict and so does this story... however strange it is. Why do you keep calling Ted the kid? Someone in the story calls Ted kid and the narrator's text reflect's the character's feeling more than it does reality. Like that when the story focuses on Ted, it speaks much more about how the house looks because that is what HE is thinking about. Why doesn't the Once-ler like Ted? People do not fall in love immediately. As simple as that. How long is this going to be? To the people wondering this because they want it over, just stop reading it. It is as simple as that. It will be as long as it needs to for me to reach the end I have in mind. Why is the story so obscure? My writing style makes it that way. Sorry but I cannot change it. If you want it differently, write your own so that I can enjoy it. Why are these two gay? Cause I said so...<p>

My personal favorite question is "Why did the towel have to die? DX" The answer is because I loved it too much and you must let go of the things you love...

Thank you to all of my reviewers and if you have a question about the story no matter what it is I will try to answer it. Please PM me or leave it in a review. I hope that at least some of you are enjoying this story. ^.^


	12. Making a move in song

Disclaimer: I do not own characters, ideas, or music in this story. The characters' credit go to Dr. Seuss and the song's creator was Micheal Buble. Great song by the way...

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><p>Blue-gray eyes regarded themselves critically in the mirror in the way that people do when they are about to do something they think is important and do not feel like they measure up quite enough. The unease on his face made his round eyes seem that much larger. What had possessed him to decide to do this anyway? The babyish face before him puffed out its cheeks with eyebrows drawn down and lips hiding by pressing together firmly. Once-ler only wished that he could hide like they were. Just press in on himself until he disappeared completely. There was still plenty of time for him to back out of this but he knew that he was unable to. He patted his black hair that was smoothed down familiarly in its childhood style. It was as good as it possibly could get, he knew, but it never seemed like enough to him.<p>

He almost wished he was like those sluts that caked their faces with paints and powders until they no longer so much as resembled their true forms. He would hate himself if he was anything like them though. They always clambered to the most successful man, hoping to be Mrs. Next Best Thing. At least when some of them were finished making themselves up, they turned out to be something a bit more attractive than the thing standing before the mirror. Once-ler could have chosen more flattering clothes but these just felt more fitting. He wore these when he used to keep promises. They were ratty and worn compared to his now usual attire but their less fine fabric felt more comfortable. The cotton shirt he wore under his wool vest felt coarser than the pricey undershirts that he had taken to wearing as his company grew. Mostly denim patchwork pants covered his long legs down to his sturdy grey shoes. The pants, like the rest of the clothes he was wearing, had been what he once wore on his family's farm. They were hand-me-downs that had to be altered quite a bit to fit his lanky form. His mother had just wanted to cut the legs of one pair of blue jeans off and sew them to the bottoms of another. Once-ler would not stand for that though. It just looked far too awkward. So being the creative genius he thought he was in his youth, he cut up the legs of both pants and sewed them back together to make a horizontal striped pattern across his legs.

The Once-ler still thought that the pants were just as stellar as he had as a child. Whoever had owned either pair of jeans originally had worn the blue in them away nearly all the way. The stains they retained along with their sun lightened quality had made one pair an almost steely grey and the other a dirty feathery grey color. He knew deep down that the now only slightly tinted blue color was partially his fault but the pants were already more grey than blue before he began cutting them up. He used to be so proud of these pants but years of mocking by his family had destroyed that pride. Now he found himself craving that they were something more, that they made him more appealing. He knew, absently, that staring at his reflection longing for it to be more attractive was not going to change anything. He brought his hands back down from absently pulling at his vest. It always seemed so awkward to him, having that expanse of shirt exposed between his vest and pants. He liked how his newer coat fit so much more but this was the outfit he had to wear. Ted would notice who he was if he wore anything else.

He stopped appraising his looks, resolved that there was nothing more to be done about them. Once-ler looked how he did and that was that. His gray fedora flopped onto his head feeling like a conversation with an easy old friend. Nothing felt forced between hat and person, which just reinforced whatever confidence the Once-ler had built up. He could do this. Ted would be his. He had to do this. On the way out of his rooms, he picked up his old guitar case and felt absently at his smooth childlike face. 'I hope the kid does not think this is too dorky' He thought dejectedly. He had practiced several different skills in his extra time today. Hopefully, all of his hard work would pay off.

Stairs were passed slowly. Anything that could prolong the time before the Once-ler's performance was welcomed. It had been decades since he last played this guitar but it felt right. Playing it earlier in the day reminded him of that first kiss he had shared with Ted. There was none of the awkwardness caused by two entities that are uncomfortable with one another. No, both instances held a relaxed intimacy. They both felt right, like the Once-ler had done them each a thousand times before, but with the excitement of something totally new. Just holding the case brought on a warm tingling in Once-ler's chest.

He passed the stone still sitting on his kitchen table, acknowledging it with a passing nod. 'Unless' It whispered back at him with a voice that was nowhere to be found. His stomach tied itself into knots as the Once-ler began trudging up the next flight of stairs. The knots were writhing like a pile of worms in a bait can. They moved all at once, in different directions, constantly keeping him in his uneasy state. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the door, nothing more to do than open it at this point. The wooden barrier came away with a slight, high pitched, creak. The boy lying, tangled in the brown bed sheets, did not stir though. Blue-gray eyes were half lidded with a small loving smile as he examined the sleeping form. He could just stare at the other man forever, but he knew there was something more important that he had to do. The case was placed quietly on shaggy green carpet and opened so that a greyish brown enameled instrument could be carefully extracted. A brown strap was set onto the Once-ler's thin shoulders as long fingers found their way to an exposed dingy bone colored belly. This guitar was not as well kept as his more expensive one but the notes that could flow out of it were just as true. He nudged the case into a corner with a grey shoe before straightening to his full height.

A tiny shy smile took over his face when his fingers began strumming away. Cords were played with a constant beat true to the song he had in mind, slightly changing octave with the lively melody. The kid shifted to look at the man producing soft sounds of a well-played guitar. He was now levered up on elbows to watch his lover's serenade.

The Once-ler's prelude of surely strummed chords melted away into softly sung words in his strong singing voice.

"I might have to wait, I'll never give up,  
>I guess it's half timin' and the other half's luck.<br>Wherever you are, whenever it's right,  
>You'll come outta nowhere and into my life.<p>

And I know that we can be so amazin'.  
>And baby your love is gonna change me.<br>And now I can see every possibility.

Mmm.

Somehow I know that it'll all turn out,  
>You'll make me work so we can work to work it out.<br>And promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get, mmm  
>I just haven't met you yet.<p>

They say all's fair in love and war.  
>But I won't need to fight it,<br>We'll get it right and, we'll be united!

And I know that we can be so amazin'.  
>And bein' in your life is gonna change me.<br>And now I can see every single possibility.

Mmm.

And someday I know it'll all turn out,  
>And I'll work to work it out.<br>Promise you kid, I'll give more than I get, than I get, than I get, than I get!

Oh you know it'll all turn out,  
>And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out,<br>And promise you kid to give so much more than I get, yeah.  
>I just haven't met you yet!<p>

I just haven't met you yet.  
>Oh promise you kid, to give so much more than I get.<br>I just haven't met you yet.

I just haven't met you yet!"

The kid was quiet through the whole performance but Once-ler did not mind. He was at home with the guitar in his hands and the song came out better than he could have hoped. His voice was sure and never wavered. It was better than even his practice sessions this afternoon. His only wish was that he could remember the beginning to the song. It did not matter now. The serenade was over and Ted had still not moved from his spot with round shocked eyes taking up so much of his face. The old stringed instrument was placed in a corner carefully before Once-ler decided to commence his little plan. He now had reservations. The kid did not react in anyway at all. This whole day may be for naught, but there was no turning back now.

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><p>I love "Just Haven't Met You Yet" by Micheal Buble. It seems, to me at least, like a song that the Once-ler may have in his repertoire. If you cannot tell, he is not wearing his disguise and is wearing the clothes he did before he cut down the forest. The song felt right to me. Calling Ted 'kid' some more. It just hints at what we all know. I think Once-ler really wants to be found out, but hey, it is his choice...<p>

Moar questions to be answered from the peanut gallery. Was that shabby old case his guitar case? I think that was answered quite clearly in this chapter but I can always just give you a more definite response... Yes, it was. Will there ever be moar smex? Yeah... Will Ted ever find out that the Once-ler is the guy he screwed? I think he will. I have faith in my little Sherlock. Is the Lorax haunting the Once-ler? ...Sort of?... Lorry will make an appearance eventually but I do not know how long until it happens... It will be in the plot. How did a rock get onto the kitchen table? An orange fluffy jelly bean put it there... O.o; It is not the one from the front yard, that one is still there. It is a new one. One for the house because someone thought Oncie might need it! ^.^ How did Ted know about the towel? Ted came out of his room in the middle of the night to investigate the smell and found the towel's charred corpse in there.

*I have a desire to see my other story continued by another author because I do not think that I can write what else I wanted to happen in it. If you are into trufula shipping, boy do I love that term, then please message me. I will gladly trade a request for this!*

As always, I love every single one of my reviews. My favorite part is that people are analyzing my interpretation of the characters and seeing things in them that I did not recognize. After hearing someone else state the inner thoughts of Oncie's mind, I realized that there was more going on than even I thought. It makes me actually like my own story which is indeed quite a feat. Thank you for your reviews. I love to hear what you guys think. It really does make my day and drive me to update that much sooner. I will try to have the next chapter out before I go to sleep. It is going to be pretty interesting if I do say so myself... ^.^ The next two I am working on are my favorites so far. I hope you like them half as much as I do.


	13. Where song and dance can inevitably lead

Disclaimer/ Warnings: The characters and stuff do not belong to me. Many children would be scarred if they did. This chapter contains mucho smut but a touch of vital plot. So as always I will surround the really raunchy stuff with MMM's so that the squeamish do not have to scan through it to find the end. Also, Ted has a mouth on him so there is a touch of profanity mixed into the smut. Just a little...

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><p>MMM (Yeah most everything is not appropriate for the chillin's)<p>

A soft swaying began to rock the black haired man's hips as he blushed under Ted's scrutiny. Ted could not believe that he had returned. Was his mind just playing cruel jokes on him? That question held no substance in his mind now. The now supple gyrating dance taking place before him was real enough. The blue eyed man was dressed this time. He had just finished singing a sort of sappy old song and now his whole body was possessed by that nervous swaying. It seemed like the man could hear a feint song that his companion was not privy to. Despite the unsurenesss of the other man's actions, Ted found the spectacle very alluring.

His clothes were a perfect replica of the ones from the pictures Ted had seen just three days before. Unlike the picture, though, this incredibly attractive figure before him was real. He was moving. And most of all, he was stripping, for Ted. The slender fingers of a musician swept up from the thighs of long legs and over slender hips and a taut stomach to a grey woolen vest. The fingers themselves were dancing along to the same silent tune as the rest of the body. They played on buttons the same way another's might play along a piano's keys. Shoulders began dance along with their own circular pattern forcing hips to jerk in a racier dance. The willowy fingers pushed plastic rounds out of their holes on the vest. The garment began to sag away from the shirted chest, begging to be off. Hands felt over the vested chest before they complied to the vests wishes by slipping the final button out of its home. The black haired man gripped a side of the vest in each hand and slipped the grey cloth to catch on his elbows. Lanky legs bent as hips sensually dipped down to exaggeratedly sweep to both sides before returning to their prior swaying as the vest was cast off to the side. The now fully exposed shirt seemed far too big on the thin body it covered for Ted's liking. It should cling to those muscles instead of hiding them with its draping folds.

A sexy smirk bared the top row of the black haired god's teeth as his bottom lip was taken prisoner between them. Pink fog had settled deeply beneath the surface of the dancing man's cheeks. Blue eyes sparkled mischievously now that they knew Ted's own brown orbs were trained on the body before them.

The hands were back to their playful groping of their own body. They pulled up and slid under the loose shirt to feel the burning flesh beneath. The further they hid themselves away from Ted's gaze, the more they exposed that tight pale belly. The shirt dropped down as they escaped the white cocoon. Ted felt a stinging pain in his lips, only to notice he was biting them in the anticipation. 'Dammit! That body should be illegal.' His thoughts were kept brief because once again the shirt was creeping up the pale stomach, straining with the clenching and unclenching the body's dance called for. Muscles rippling to the tune of the unsung song were revealed as the shirt was pulled over a head by its shoulders. The white fabric was thrown away but Ted did not notice. The moving body before him was mesmerizing. The way the hips jerked and swayed interchangeably had his breath coming with more difficulty. The dark bed sheets resting on his body were unnaturally hot but he could not bring himself to change a single aspect of this moment. Slender but firm muscles ground out the dancing moves as the black haired man's hands explored milky plains that Ted's own hands itched to touch.

Blue eyes were closed now. The venturing hands were tracing a treasure trail that was just barely there. They came back up to dip into a now exposed naval. The black haired man's pink tongue whipped out to graze partially parted lips before disappearing from whence it came. After violating the small hole liberally, the fingers wandered back down the happy trail to trace the seam of the grey striped pants that hid long legs and a perfect collection of goodies that Ted could not wait to get his hands on.

Shoes were kicked off unceremoniously. Lithe fingers fiddled with the button Ted's eyes were trying to melt away through sheer force of will. The metal round was popped through the hole in the denim so quickly that it made the slow journey of the zipper downward that much longer. Ted agonized though every second of it, never taking his eyes off of what those dastardly hands were doing. The denim parted too slowly it seemed. It was dragged off of barely rocking hips to fall down slender legs. Exposed, a pair of red hearted white boxers shook with renewed vigor to the nonexistent beat of the dancer.

The dancing man dipped down sensually to his hands and knees, making Ted sit up more from his position. The thinly built man was on all fours crawling up onto the bed and towards him like a predatory feline. His smirk and shining blue eyes screamed that the man was ready to pounce on his prey and Ted could not have been more ready to be seized by the stalking man. The black haired man's shoulders moved smoothly beneath his skin as he crept up the bed towards his lover.

A shaky breath left Ted when the other man had finally reached his level. Blue eyes spoke of apprehension and a pink lip was taken between perfect teeth again. The man on top of Ted was struggling with something. Ted took this opportunity to shed the blanket covering his body and reveal a body that was completely bare other with the exception of a tented pair of black silk boxers. Blue eyes trailed down the well-muscled body with a renewed hunger lurking behind them. Ted could not seem to catch his breath with those eyes on him. His mind was racing but crashed to a complete stop when a pair of soft lips found his. Hey were hot and insistent but their passion was shown in soft movements against his own instead of heavy persistence. The man backed away to let out a shaking breath and Ted almost pulled him in for more of those sweet kisses. The man would have none of that though; as Ted's face made its move closer to his own he jerked back causing a frustrated groan to escape the boy's lips. The aggravation did not last long. It was quickly replaced by a surge of pleasure brought on by the man above him rubbing a slim leg against his clothed erection. A loud moan reached his ears but his hazy mind did not even register that it was his own.

The mouth that was the same source of those delicious delicate kisses picked a spot near the base of his neck to lightly brush its lips against once before it bit down hard and a harsh sucking took over. Ted had no idea that his neck could feel so damn good! More moans approaching scream volumes could be heard and this time Ted knew they were his own. Hips ground down harshly into his own and he took it all in as his body shook almost violently from the hot pleasure flooding through his body and seeping into his core. The mouth left his neck to journey further south with more feather light kisses that left solid muscles quaking. The moans had ebbed but his lungs craved the fresh air with that incredible man's scent and stole it away with desperate pants. The mouth found one of his nipples licked around it before beginning a strange suckle that brought about sharp teeth grazing the pink flesh lightly. The tempest struck at the brunette's body with another wave of bliss. His neglected nipple did not remain so for long as a shaking hand trailed to the other side of his chest to pinch it roughly and make him arch with a guttural scream. Breaths now came only in gasps. It was far too hot in this room, under this man.

A beaming smile came to the blue eyed man's face and banished Ted's own face to a world of red shame. The option to dwell on this was not given to him because soft lips began their descent once again, stopping only when they found a hole quivering in the boy's middle. That elusive pink tongue darted out to caress the outer rim of the shallow chasm before plunging into the waiting naval in the most sensual way that Ted had ever encountered. A sharp intake of breath from the brunette made his lover jump with a quick glance up at the boy. Blue locked with brown in a look that showed both men that the other was just as nervous about this as they were.

The Once-ler took in the appearance of the body beneath him. It could have been sculpted for the act of sex itself. Before the boy was sure and aggressive but now he was apprehensive, letting Once-ler take the lead. Once-ler's eyes skipped down the form heaving with the effort to breath. Muscles were tense and bulged in all the right places. The body now had a slight sheen to it, making the tanned form highlighted in the lit room. An abused belly button shined with a liberal coating of saliva. He brought his head back down to its mission and opened his watery mouth to take in Ted's clothed erection. A scream ripped through the room at the light pressure applied. Ted certainly was a vocal one, now wasn't he? He let his teeth barely slide over the clothed cock as he bought his head back up and the boy let out another well voiced moan.

Ted could not handle this sexual torture. Nothing in life could have ever prepared him for the sensations the other man was providing him with. Was that sharp ring of pressure caused by teeth? Holy shit! He tried again to calm his breathing. His pounding heart had a mind of its own and there was no way to remedy its persistent drubbing. The band of his boxers was slowly lowered and wide blue eyes stared blatantly at what was yet to be uncovered. When the undergarments were finally past his hips, an engorged member leapt out of them into the chill of exposed air with surprising vigor. That pink tongue sprang out again to lick soft lips before flicking over the tip of the throbbing dick. A delighted smile took over his face making blue eyes brighten when it lurched at the small amount of contact. A long arm reached up Ted's body extending three narrow fingers towards the kid's face. Ted took the gesture and brought the waiting digits into his mouth for some good old fashioned sucking. He had to resist biting the fingers off when a hot mouth enveloped his dick. That delicate sinful mouth brought his pleasure to all new heights and he tried to focus on coating the fingers in as much spit as possible. A tongue massaged the bottom vein as the black haired head bobbed slowly. The hand not in Ted's mouth tweaked a nipple harshly causing him to scream again and release the digits in the process.

The wet hand left Ted's face as he panted out, "You know if you wanted me to spit them out, you could have just aaasked," The last word was strained as a long finger thrust into his bottom. The other man just hummed in response with the hard piece of flesh in his mouth making the boy moan again. "Where the hell did you learn to do this?" A chuckle caused more vibration around his throbbing penis. The finger in his hole arched into his prostate, making a scream erupt from his flaming face. Searing pleasure coursed through his body with every throb of his nether regions. Whatever pain had existed in his ass was completely erased by the now multiplied fingers trusting into his prostate and the mouth that had picked up its pace and was now almost equaling the harsh sucks that had been inflicted to the kid's neck.

The other man left him empty and exposed all at once. His panting breath ghosted over the aching erection for the briefest of moments before blue eyes were level with Ted's again. Another tender kiss was shared between the two as the black haired man slipped into the other causing a shot of pain to jolt his mind. "M-move!" The boy gasped out before connecting their lips again.

"Mhm," Was the answer mumbled into his lips as the black haired man began to thrust into him angling his hips to strike the small bundle of nerves every time. The pink tongue, that had inflicted so much heavenly torture that night, breached lips once again to plunge tentatively into the other boy's mouth. The kisses began to mimic the leisurely pace rocking hips provided. Ted buried fingers into midnight hair in hopes to hold onto this just a little bit longer. All of that torture had ruined any stamina he might have had and the waves of pleasure had reached tsunami proportions long ago. Shaky breaths were taken through his nose as his body trembled. Increasing moans rumbled through both mouths from the depths of his chest. The pace began to incline. The black haired man pinched one of his already well abused nipples to elicit a sharp cry from the brunette. His back arched and his hips began to jerk uncontrollably as the other man tried to suck his release right out of his neck from the spot which had already endured so much abuse. His screams elevated with just name in his mind, "ONCE-LER!" With that one word, he found an ocean of white bliss fill his being. It spread through his limbs and new waves were brought into existence emanating from the still thrusting hips of the other man. He could see and hear nothing in his orgasmic state, but as it slowly left with lingering traces of ecstasy he could hear the wanton groans of the man above him.

Ted pushed the black haired man off almost violently, shoving him down to the bed and quickly bring his mouth down to straining dick. He slicked off anything that may have stayed on the penis with his hand before engulfing the deep red organ to the base in his mouth. Harsh sucking and deep throated gulps had the black haired man thrashing in no time. He began to hum the tune that the other man had played on his guitar and roughly pinched nipples making him moan thickly. An arch made its way through the black haired man's body and remained as shivers took over the thin frame. Ted let up a bit for a few bobs before deep throating again and sucking severely. This was the trigger that made hot cum shoot into the boy's mouth. He swallowed any spillage up greedily. Bucking hips made him gag a bit but soon the body beneath him was still. The man breathing deeply was struggling to keep blue eyes on his lover. Ted smiled at the man whose lips could barely quirk up at all from the sheer exhaustion of the act.

MMM

The brunette pushed his body up off of the bed to bring his face back up to the other man's. He pressed his mouth to the other's in a sweet kiss that he did not even know he was capable of before tonight. When the two separated, blue eyes were already hidden behind their lids, shut up for the night, and once ragged breathing had slowed into a soft rasp of sleep.

Ted smiled at the sleeping form, whispering the only words that were true enough for this moment, "I love you," He got up out of the bed and pulled his lover's boxers on because they were much cleaner than his own. He would only be away for a short while anyway. With one last glance at the other man, he left the room and headed downstairs. Stairs came much more easily than he had expected as he travelled downward toward the room he desired. The dark wooden door opened easily despite its weight. He felt giddy as his eyes roamed over an empty bed. He strode into the bathroom smiling at the shoulder less head that held all of the Once-ler's dirty little secrets. It was an expected thing, but not what the boy was looking for. So he plopped the top hat onto his head and continued his search for the other man's dirty clothes hamper.

Once he found it, he searched pants until he discovered his prize. He cradled the small piece of metal before quickly fleeing the Once-ler's rooms and continuing his trek down stairs. There were still a few things he had to know, and the excitement coursing through his body provided enough endorphins to fuel his search.

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><p>So I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope that you guys can take even a small portion of the pleasure it gave me from it. The past two chapters' length was pathetic at best and I hope that this makes up for that at least a tiny bit. This is my favorite chapter so far and as my third ever sex scene written, I think I am improving a vast amount... Anyways, this chapter... er... I need a little more me time, please tell me what you thought of it!^.^<p> 


	14. A search for truth

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and stuff... enjoy...

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><p>The room was just as dusty as the last time Ted had wandered down there. There was evidence that someone else had ventured down there with footprints showing up in the grime and crates moved and pried open. Ted went to those first just because curiosity won him over. He peeked into the wooden boxes cautiously before opening them completely. Inside were old clothes and one big bag that just said tent in faded letters. Inside of the other recently opened boxes were all sorts of camping supplies and a surplus of marshmallows. What need could one man possibly have for so many marshmallows? Whatever it was, it made Ted want to be with him even more. Dented metal pots and pans were discarded as quickly as they came into contact with the boy's hands. Old glass jars were blacked out with paint so that the contents could not be determined. Ted wanted to open one but the tops were all rusted on and he would feel bad about breaking the old jars. The Once-ler had to have some reason to store them in such a way. Sheets and more clothes were barely folded. The Once-ler was such a stickler for cleanliness upstairs but within these boxes there was the chaos of someone fleeing. Things were just thrown above each other carelessly in any way to get them all in. Ted shivered at the thought of what the older man could have possibly been running from. Could it possibly be whatever had kept him so young throughout the years? Ted could not even imagine. Maybe this was not the same man he met nearly a decade past. Maybe the Once-ler Grammy had known had passed on and this was his kin or something. A thousand questions buzzed in a brown haired head but no answers could be found. The man he had been with just minutes before could not possibly be the man his gammy knew. He was far too young. There was no possible way for it to even be possible and yet Ted could not shake the feeling that it somehow was. This was not some sappy love story where the leading lady fell in love with a vampire or some sort of handsome prince cursed for his misdeeds. This was reality. The two men could not possibly be the same. Why would his Once-ler dress like an older man though? It just did not make sense. When his lover finally woke up to speak to him again, Ted would certainly have quite a lot of questions for the man. The brunette closed up the cases his lover had already ransacked and moved onto his real prize.<p>

The same box he had plundered just days ago still ordered him to stay out of it but he obeyed it as much as he had the first time around. The dingy lid came off to expose the collection of pictures again. An orange bean shaped creature's drawing was sitting right on top just like the last time. It seemed so bizarre with its yellow fluffy moustache spread across its face. Had the Once-ler he loved drawn this or the other one? It did not matter he supposed. He began scrutinizing every image before turning them over to see what caption may have been written on the other side of each. The drawing of the round straggly armed creature just had "Moustache" written on its back side. The pictures of the colorful forest had a plethora of comments scrawled on them in the same contained handwriting. "My new home," was all one said. "The tufts of the trufula trees are perfect for my thneeds. If only someone would let me cut down more. So many colors to choose from. Maybe a multicolored thneed is called for," read the next one. The third had nothing on its back but forth just had one word, "Home,"

Ones with creatures had names scribbled on the backs. One had a bar-ba-loot, affectionately called Pipsqueak, with a marshmallow smile that brought out a softer copy of the expression on the boy's face, sans the sweets of course. The description stated that the furry mess had been caught in the photographer's secret stash again. Ted cast that one aside to regard one of 'a chorus of humming fish'. The orange fish certainly did seem to be singing but Ted could not imagine fish forming a quartet. The idea was just too strange to him. The next photo was the one of the Once-ler and Pipsqueak by the river. Blue eyes hidden behind lids and all. Ted resisted pocketing the photograph as he continued flipping through the pictures. There were so many. A quick drawing of the stream made Ted smile. That one was definitely drawn by his lover's delicate hands. The back said, "Horribly drawn river," in a feminine script that did not match the others. Had there been a woman in the other man's life? There were no pictures of a female in the box. Maybe they were stored away in a different secret stash his lover kept.

Ted was determined to find the identity of the mystery woman even though he dreaded what he was likely to discover. How could she write something so horrible about the hastily drawn river? It was fast but fine. The drawing was quick but it held all of the expertise of a real artist, not someone who had just picked up a pencil to draw one day. There were a large amount of pictures of nothing discernible other than an orange blurred shadow in the image. Was that the image of the other man's past lover? Had the woman just not wanted to sit still long enough to be captured on the filmy paper? Ted dropped the picture back down into the box and slammed the container shut. He sat up against the crate in all of the dusty grime of the basement floor. The boxers were the Once-ler's anyways. He pulled his legs close to his body as he pondered the new information. His lover had been with some woman before. One that he did not display pictures of in his house. Would Ted face a fate similar to her own? Would he be cast aside when the other man grew bored of him? Ted refused to lose the man. There was no way the Once-ler was going to get rid of him now. Ted Wiggins was not anyone's plaything and he would make sure the other man knew that. After being cast aside by Audrey, Ted promised that he would never let that happen to him again. He certainly would not now.

Shaky legs straightened, at war with the dull ache in his backside that was now present. It seemed that the pain was coming on fast. The brunette turned off the lights of the unkempt room and made his way all the way back to his room. A hand rested on a dully shining knob in the darkness. There was just one more room in the house that Ted wanted to see. He glanced up the stairs that stretched above the landing he stood on.

Old boards creaked under his weight quietly but to him they sounded like sirens. The next floor was where he had originally met the man who lived in this house. Was that where the other man kept the pictures of his past lover? Floor boards screamed out in the silent house and Ted silently prayed that they fell on deaf ears. He must have been torturing the poor steps with his weight by the way they wailed. Finally the boy had reached the door he sought. It was painted coal black in a way that looked still brand new. Ted turned the silver knob to enter another world of green, black, and silver. Nothing true could be said of this room to make it sound plain at all. The whole place was lavish to its core. Ted felt uncomfortable in it because of its unspoken stature. This Once-ler had been rich; there was no question about it now. 'Was he a famous artist?' The thought bounced around the boy's head playfully but Ted had a feeling that was not the case. There was no studio to be found in the old building. There was hardly any artwork strewn about the walls anywhere.

Ted walked on the black floorboards, almost worried that his bare feet might do something to mar their perfection. His light steps brought him to stand before an enormous black wooden desk that was generously inlaid with silver. He felt small before the towering chair behind it though there was no one in it to judge his poor appearance and circumstance. The chair looked plushed in the places where one would sit, with rich green silk stretched over bubbles of fluff, but the whole piece was extravagant. It was almost taller than the Once-ler while he was standing at his full height and every inch of its wooden frame had a silver design carved into it. A container of pencils and a single frame graced the surface of the massive desk. Ted brought a trembling hand to the silver frame to lift it reverently. When the frame was turned, Ted's heart sank down to his stomach. The Once-ler had had a family once.

The image in the expensive frame was one of a severe woman holding an infant. She was not striking in any way but the raven colored hair on the child's head said the she was the Once-ler's. Unable to bear staring at her face any longer, Ted placed the frame back into its place on the immense desk. The rest of the room had tall black wooden paneling on the green painted walls. There were shelves with silver statues displayed all over them. One was of the creature drawn orange and yellow in the picture from the box in the basement. Ted traced the displeased face of the creature frozen in silver. What could this possibly be that his lover so revered to have it depicted so much in works of art in his house? Maybe the man he was with was the child in the picture, and his father was the man who had loved the almost frightening appearing woman. Ted consoled his aching heart with that thought. The rationalization was not doing much to quell the ache in his chest. Ted stepped away from the display of pricey sculptures.

They were so affluently chosen. How could someone with such exclusive taste want Ted for long at all? Ted looked at one shelf with a forest of silver trufula trees spread across it. They were all different shapes and sizes just like ted had imagined. They were almost nothing like the trufoolas which were all very orderly, straight, all the same height. There was no order at all between the metal figurines. They were just how a forest ought to be. The silver pieces that surrounded the mustached figure were creatures from the pictures downstairs. One resembled the bar-ba-loot, Pipsqueak, perfectly. A few castings of other bears were present among swomee swans and humming fish. They were all kept in incredible condition, not a speck of tarnish had touched a single one.

Ted looked over to the widow where he had first seen the Once-ler. There was another expensive chair there. It had the same sort of silk cushion to it but this one had the permanent impression of the bony body that had sat in it far too much. The black wood had lost its gloss on the arm rests from extended use. This chair was profligate just like the other behind the desk, the only difference between the two was height. The other was meant to instill fear, while the one now in front of the boarded up window was there just to hold someone while they were left to their insecure feelings. The shutters on the window were a drastic contrast to the rest of the room. They had fallen into a horrible state of disrepair. Ted wondered how they even remained in one piece. A grey brown color made up most of the planks, coated with the green dusting of something growing on them. Ted wondered if the mold could be harmful to his lover idly as he left the room.

Before long, Ted was back in his own room. The soft sound of the other man sleeping calmed his nerves. There was no way he would lose this. Black hair was left disarrayed but looked more like a pile of fluffy feathers resting on the Once-ler's head than anything else. A slight tinge of pink was still evident on the sleeping man's face. His body was slightly curled into the direction where it thought Ted would sleep. Ted had to smile at him. He was just so adorable like that. Ted crept towards the bed and slipped between the sheets to lie next to Once-ler. A smile spread across the sleeping face as arms absently groped before they wrapped themselves around Ted's firm body. Ted let one of his own arms drape over to lithe form before succumbing to sleep himself. There was no way he would ever let himself lose this.

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><p>Partially edited. I am feeling particularly lazy today... There is a birthday in my hose this week and I just spent four hours baking a cake! We are cajun, french ancestors, so our pastries are always over the top. Fresh, homemade whipped cream is incredible! I may have smaller chapters in the next couple of days because of the birthday but do not fret. The is interesting stuff around the bend... Yay plot!<p>

More questions. Is the orange blurry thing the Lorax? I am going to going with yes for that one... There are only two orange things in this story so far, one is a tree and the other is the Lorax. So, use your judgement. "Do the boiz lov eachothr?" If I deciphered this right, then yeah sort of... Ted is crazy about the Once-ler like younger people get. The Once-ler is beginning to fall for Ted. He is not in love quite yet but give emotions some time guys. Do you have two guys that you watch all the time to see how they act together and base this story on them? O.o; No... This story came from my own head and is not based on anyone I know in real life. No one I know has a relationship remotely like this and I have no clue why you even think I know someone who does these things. After Ted and the nce-ler establish a relationship, will they have sex all the time? For plot's sake, no. I have places I want this story to go that are in no way related to the bedroom. What did Ted grab and is he going to the basement? A review was right, it was a key and yes. How many chapters is this? So far, fourteen. I think this person was asking how long it will end up... and that I do not know yet. How OOC are your characters? You guys can judge this one. I made them fall in love but I think they are still the same people from the movie but whatever...;... Why did you choose option A? (I have had SIX people ask me this!) The masses voted on it. Simple as that.

Thank you to ALL of my reviewers. The feedback on my story is what keeps it going. I respond to reviews as I have time but I read them all as I receive them. Most of them are read several times. I have forty now! Yays... ^.^ Please keep up the good work guys, you make me feel loved!


	15. Waking up in the aftermath

Disclaimer: I do not own this stuff...

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><p>Deep blue-grey pools were exposed as drooping lids dragged themselves upwards. An unfamiliar sensation emanated from several parts of his lanky body. There was a separate source of heat, independent of his body and the sheets cocooned around it. A spiking tingle was pricking at one of his legs and an ache had seized the arm on the same side. The Once-ler grudgingly looked down to see a brown haired head limp atop his pained arm. The slightly pink lips of the man before him were parted in an expression that spoke of a comfortable rest. Blue-gray eyes became half lidded as a smile warmed up Once-ler's face. Never before had Once-ler experienced something quite like last night. The act of sex itself was different somehow but instead of this unknown sensation stirring unsure feelings, it was welcomed. Sex was normally hard and fast, why was this time so very different and why was the kid so tangled up with him? He was disconcerted though. The way they were still so close this morning, how Ted had entwined their sleeping forms so thoroughly together. The fuzzy feeling was nerve-wracking. Ted felt like something snug against the Once-ler. He felt accustomed to the boy's presence. Ted felt like just something else in his house. Something that was always there, but certainly not in a bad way. The atmosphere between the two of them was relaxed, in a way that made them seem like two of a kind. The relationship did not feel like they were as close as salt and pepper. To the Once-ler it felt more like each of them was a leg on a pair of pants. They were incredibly stuck to each other, removing one would render the other utterly useless.<p>

Wide blue-grey eyes blinked at the object cutting off the circulation to various parts of the Once-ler's anatomy. An arm and leg began wiggling out from under the slumbering body. Stabs of pain shot through the skin of the restrained limbs and into the working muscle beneath, making the struggling man wince. A light warm sensation could be felt on the Once-ler's arm making him flinch. Blue-gray eyes widened with thoughts of one words conquering the head attached to them, 'Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!' The smooth muscled body lifted off of the trapped limbs, only flopping back down to the bed when the Once-ler was free. The kid was smiling at him, nothing like a beaming smile or a smirk, just a small one, a content smile at the most. Those warm brown eyes lazily regarded the face of their lover.

The Once-ler could feel the shocked expression on his face. He forced his lips to quirk up in a small smile. He had been caught and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it. "G-good morning," He felt surer as he spoke. It was just the kid after all and it was not like his secret had been found out, yet.

Ted levered himself back up again to kiss the face before him but stopped when his lover recoiled. Disappointment seeped into the expressive eyes though the smile was still in control of his slightly pouting mouth. "You thought that you could just sneak out again, didn't you?" A sly smirk took over the previously genuine features. "Without a word or even a morning kiss. My morning breath is not that bad." The smirk widened when blue-grey eyes avoided brown staring ones. The certain voice turned breathy, "Just kiss me Oncie," and with that, the brunette had closed the gap between the two men, not even giving the other enough time to respond.

The kiss was nothing more than a pair of lips pressed against another but it sent a fire through the Once-ler. The kid was kissing him. The kid was kissing HIM! There was no other person taking his place this time. Ted knew who he was and was kissing him. Wait, the kid knew who he was? That soothing fire brought upon an outbreak of goose bumps across slim appendages. Once-ler's heart began to race. How had the kid found out? The feel of the kid kissing him was getting to be too much. The overwhelming sensation of the kid's smell and presence was all just too much. Before he knew it, wiry arms had pushed the brunette away, ending the kiss, "What did you call me?" an excitedly squeaky voice chirped at the boy whose lips were still puckered a bit from the kiss.

"I saw the name on one of your old pictures, Once-ler," Ted explained evenly. He would not let this conversation get out of hand. Ted was not sure that he could go back to his other life now that he had had a taste of what a life with the other man could be like. The Once-ler was not going to get away from him this time. Ted kept his gaze level as he waited for the other man's response. It did not seem like the Once-ler had anticipated this and Ted was content to let him find his own way through the situation as long as he chose to stay with him. He smiled again to the other man before he wiggled his way closer to the other man. He almost wished that he could send messages to the other man telepathically, 'I love you,' the thought may not have helped too much but even a little bit was worth it. Ted could not speak them though. It was not time yet. It was far too early.

Brown hopeful eyes sparkled over a comforting smile directed towards the warring man. The kid knew who he was. Once-ler's heart threatened to tear its way out of his body and stop its beating all at the same time. The Once-ler's mind was not working quite fast enough to form any words. How could he possibly explain any of this? Why was Ted still here? How long had he known? A million questions buzzed around his head like angry hornets, stinging him as quickly as he could grab them to search for their answers. The kid knew.

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><p>AN: So I have been a tad under the weather today so if I miffed any grammar mistakes or spelling errors then just tell me. I hope you guys like this chapter though it does not seem to live up to your expectations for the big discovery. My work has seemed to be slipping since the first chapter, I will try to step my game back up guys. Thank you to everyone who reviews it means so much!

Sorry Oncie, but you 'made love' with a dude... There is no getting around this one.


	16. There are some things you cannot escape

Disclaimer: I do not own this and thus cannot earn any monies off of it...

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><p>Of all of the questions that plagued the Once-ler's mind, only one word escaped his lips, "Why?" There was nothing more to the question but somehow there did not have to be. They both knew the implications behind that one syllable. Why had Ted waited until now to tell Once-ler he knew? Why was he still here? Ted appeared to ponder the question. His dark eyes finally broke contact. Maybe Ted had realized that being with Once-ler was a mistake.<p>

"Cause I wanted this," The admission made the Once-ler's heart ache. Wanted. The kid did not want it anymore. Once-ler nodded slowly. His slender fingers lifted his side of the brown blanket so the Once-ler could climb out of the bed. Bare feet met the plush floor and he stumbled a bit on the way to the door. "Wait! Where are you going?" The kid sounded almost desperate but Once-ler knew better. He was not desperate for his company no one ever was. No, Ted was desperate for something monetary or material just like every other person who had shared his bed.

Keeping any disappointment from his voice, Once-ler responded, "I am just going to get some breakfast. I will be back," There, his voice was light enough. The kid would never know what he really had planned. What did he have planned? Once-ler made his way to the door and headed downstairs. He rushed through the kitchen to the next flight downwards, only hearing one rushed cry of unless from the stone set on his table. The mad rush downward continued. He stopped on his bedroom floor to gather a thing or two. His long green coat was the first thing on then he dashed to his dresser to grab pants. He did not bother to look at what they were past noting that they were pants. He slipped them on before donning socks and shoes. The last article of clothing he gathered up was his green top hat. Heavy steps brought the now mostly clothed man deeper in his home.

The entryway was still dark and felt crowded with the kid's stuff in it. That odd black vehicle and a couple of bags took up half of the small hallway forcing the Once-ler to cross it against the wall. Every brush against the speeder felt like a scrape from poison ivy. It all made him itch to get out even faster. The whole house seemed as though it was stretched, anything to keep him in there longer. He finally got a hold of the door and threw his body out of the house. Right after his feet left the threshold, Once-ler instantly regretted this act. His body was moving much too fast to stop and he was destined to plummet straight through the rickety railing. Everything moved slowly, like the last of the good molasses dripping onto your hot pancakes in the morning. The moment felt like it may never end but he knew this would not end in delicious breakfast foods. His chest barely made contact with the banister before it gave way with an ear shattering CRACK! The long limbed body tumbled into the grikkle grass disoriented. Once-ler's breath was knocked out of his chest by the ground's brutal beating. Jolts of pain sprang to life in his body, focusing on the elbows he landed on the wrong way.

Big blue-grey eyes blinked in surprise. Nothing, there was darkness all around. Panic set in quickly. Making his already sore heart race, the darkness seemed to press against him in a tangible wall. Trembling fear filled breathing made his body convulse. Hands struggled to push against the wall before him and it gave way. Confusion painted across his face as he blinked again, supported by wavering arms. It was just the ground. He sprang to his feet causing the dizziness to come back full force. He staggered backwards a bit almost falling back to the ground as he blinked away the strange colors dotting his vision. A glimpse back at his home showed lights streaming through a few windows. Ted must be making his way downstairs too.

The Once-ler made a mad dash to the only other place he knew to go. The world seemed to rise up to meet his feet every stride he took. Breath came in labored gasps. The sprint was hindered though. Every tree he had cut down wanted revenge and was willing to do anything possible to take it from the fleeing man. The grave markers of the late lively spirits of the forest rose from the ground to force the Once-ler's pace to falter. Scarred stumps that were once the support of the caring homes of the forest creatures, now glared at their murderer. The jagged remains reached to grab the absconding young man. His body lurched as yet another vengeful entity grasped his pant leg. A look of horror came to his youthful face as he turned, sure that he had been caught this time. Blue-gray eyes, shining with his troubled thoughts glanced down to discover that splinters wrought by his axe blade had taken a hold of thin pants. It pleaded for answers. Why had he done this? Why was he running? Why didn't he fix anything he destroyed? Why didn't he face his shortcomings? Fabric gave way at a particularly forceful tug and sent the Once-ler toppling to the ground once again. Grey stumps, blackened by the years decay, seemed to tower over the once great Once-ler. At one time he thought he dominated this place but for years it had dominated him. The stumps knew that as they stretched towards him with their spiked points caused by his own hands.

The world was shaking again and the Once—ler could not control it. It was rushing by in one big devastated blur of nauseating grey-brown. Grikkle grass crunched up a resentful chorus at the feet treading over it. His body refused to acknowledge fatigue. He was far too terrified to feel the extra burning in his lungs. The polluted air was certainly not something to run in. His destination brimmed the next hill. It towered over the split bases of old trufula trees just as it had when those trees were still thriving. The enormous heap of metal was just as he remembered it. He skidded to a halt by the entrance, desperately trying to catch enough air to support his weary muscles. The air here was thin though, coated with a thick layer of smog. Full lunged coughs wracked his trembling body as the Once-ler forced the heavy steel door open. He closed the door behind him just in case if the kid thought to look in the massive structure. A robust hacking echoed back onto the winded man. The building itself seemed to amplify his failures. It projected his faults back onto him. The reverberating sounds reinforced how his botched life ruined everything. He caused all of the pain he suffered now and he deserved every bit of it.

No tears would come. They had left him years ago. They left with the animals, he thought. They were the last thing he lost that he thought he may actually deserve. By the time the Lorax had gone, he knew. He knew that this was his punishment for his misdeeds.

Trudging legs kicked a dusty path as they almost dragged across the floor of the abandoned building. Instinctually they brought the willowy man to the elevators but when unclothed fingers jabbed into the button spastically, nothing happened. A small sound escaped the Once-ler's lips with that realization. The slender body sank to the floor in defeat. His hat was placed in his arms to be cradled. He clutched it to his chest as though it too may leave him. He shivered among the cold soulless machines. These were the only things that would not banish his presence.

He stayed like that, sitting among the rubble that once was his life. He felt more accepted in this building. Nothing judged him here. All of the machinery just looked down on him with a cold indifference. This was the most tolerated he would ever be among anything. These were the only things he had not thoroughly destroyed in his ambitious exploits. He was amongst his own kind again. Killers and destroyers that he had ordered to obliterate his home were not quite up to his level of repugnance but they were at least his own species of loathed monstrosities. This would be his home now.

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><p>I been sick, been sad, been all around bad. I came up short for my own challenge and I apologize about the longer wait. The chapter was not very long either... Thank you to all of my reviewers. The reviews were the only reason I even wanted to work on this chapter. It was so hard to write with how I have been feeling. Tell me if you feel the agony, terror, and self loathing in this chapter please.<p>

Now there may be something that hinders me from wanting to write this fanfiction. Since the last time I said this, in chapter eleven's author's note, I have had no less than SIX different people ask me if Ted and the Once-ler are gay or why. Yes they like boys. Yes they like each other. If you do not like this then stop reading it. It is that simple... These questions just make me want to give up writing this in general. How is it that after two sex scenes in sixteen chapters that people still do not realize that the characters are homosexual! I just do not know how to make this any clearer... They are gay guys.

I hope you guys liked this chapter.


	17. New Life

I do not own these characters or anything from _The Lorax, _they all belong to Dr. Suess.

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><p>It did not take a minute for Ted to know that Once-ler ran away, it did not take an hour, nor a day. It took the boy an instant to see the hurt in those eyes. In less than a heartbeat he knew the man was trying to escape. Unfortunately those long legs could probably outrun his on a good day and this was not a good day to be running. Bare feet found the plushly carpeted floor nearly a minute after the man had departed. Standing was a serious problem. Legs wobbled and buckled with pain in the lower back. Ted fell to the floor deciding that the pleasure of the night before was not worth it if it meant that he had to chase the man the next morning. 'At least when I fucked him, I did not make him chase me all over the fucking place.' Ted struggled to get back on his feet groaning at the pain in his rear end. How the hell did the Once-ler move so freely the next day? Ted wiggled his hips around to test the pain that shot up his spine at every slight motion. His first step felt as though he may as well have been stabbed. As much as he would have liked it to get better from there, it did not. Every step brought about a new bout of agony but Ted had to press on. He had to catch that blue eyed lunatic and bring him to justice for the anguish he inflicted. The devious thoughts of what he could do to his lover spurred him on. The pain was not that unbearable. He would catch th-. Crash! Now, what the hell was that?<p>

Ted hurriedly hobbled to the door and threw it open to flip on the lights in the hall. 'Well fuck,' Stairs. Flights and flights of stairs stood between Ted and where the crash took place. Brown eyes glared at the stairs as if they chose to hinder him. They teased them with their purpose. Stairs were supposed to allow people to move freely from floor to floor but these laughed at the chore. They scorned their duties as soon as they heard Ted's ass shatter with the blood curdling screams last night. They appeared all innocent but Ted knew that they had multiplied over the night just to punish him for stepping on them so many times. Ted winced as he stepped down on one, causing it to squeal with glee at his discomfort. When he caught the hiding man, his ass belonged to Ted. The Once-ler would pay for this, he resolved. Now the only problem was getting to him.

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><p>A raspy cough filled a vast empty assembly line. Dull greys of lifelessness filled this place. Dust hinted at a place where people once were but nothing stirred. Nothing here was truly alive. 'This' the Once-ler thought, 'is a very fitting place for me. Nothing alive suits the man who kills everything very well.' Pale slim fingers swept through dull grey dust making small piles of the fluffy substance. His head turned so his check was now resting on the cool dusty laminate floor. Once-ler's other fingers were still fiddling with the rim of the hat resting on his chest. His gloves normally stole these feelings from him: the soft stiff fabric of the hat, the powdery fuzzy feeling of a large layer of dust, the bitter cold of a hard floor. These sensations had been dulled over the years along with so many others. The Once-ler had cheated in his punishment, he knew. He should not have been allowed to enjoy the kid so thoroughly. He was not supposed to feel those things anymore. He was meant to be despised and persecuted. Eternal pain was meant to be his penance and he disregarded it. Feeling anything pleasing was going against what the Lorax had intended. His pleasure was an offense of the worst kind. It even dragged the kid down with him. That had to be the worst part of it. A snort from the wallowing man disturbed the dust and brought on another fit of throaty coughs. The dust did not only tickle the back of his now cough raw throat, but it also produced feather light twinges of pain in his lungs. The Once-ler refused to move his head though. He deserved every bit of this for inconveniencing the kid. The boy deserved better than this, he did.<p>

No tears even welled up in the watery blue eyes but they showed their woe in staring indifference. The gaze was lost in the dust and on machinery.

The mindless swirls spread over feet across the flaking laminate floor. Piles of fluff were carefully constructed by pale slim fingers to surround the Once-ler. They peered up at him with nonexistent eyes. It seemed right that their gazes were void of anything, that not even glassy eyes were contained within them. The only time anyone had cared to look at the Once-ler was when he was of some value to them. Now, he was worthless and it was reflected in the nothing filled gazes of the tiny motes. He stood in the center of his work. He must have laid there for hours staring at his shining accomplishment in life, this deserted factory. Hours more must have been wasted as he ran his once clean fingers through the dust surrounding his resting place. Now an array of tiny mounds spread around his erect form, showing off their different shapes and sizes to their creator and their neighboring piles. Each thinking that they are the most impressive of the bunch, the Once-ler's favorite little dust mote. The sadly smiling man did not have the heart to hint otherwise to any of his creations, he knew what it was like to be overlooked.

Blue-gray eyes lifted slightly to examine the swirly pattern that twisted between each of the motes and spread far past their tiny reaches. Whatever small smile had been mustered previously was absent now. He knew those swirls all too well. The Once-ler was accustomed to seeing them in color, though; he could point them out in greyscale too. This was the pattern ever present in the tufts of truffula trees. The soft meandering of the lines of dust could have been silky fronds spreading from lively trees, dancing in the breeze. The Once-ler wiped the dust caked onto his finger on his pants.

This was the first time he actually noticed his pants. He had almost died in the pants for as carefree as they appeared. They were now a muted sky blue with light yellow bunnies printed on them. They had been washed and darned far too many times but the Once-ler knew he would never cast them aside. He loved them for the same reasons they made him uncomfortable. Within this fabric was his life, memories, of both good and bad. The memories these pants kept for him were inescapable, but he never wanted to be rid of them. Not even of the one where he nearly plummeted off a waterfall with a tiny bar-ba-loot.

He stood with a new vigor. He knew now what he must do. Long limbs moved with a new purpose. They travelled up into the heights of the enormous workplace, knowing exactly what they sought here.

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><p>OH MY GOSH! I think my heart is officially broken. It seems that the absence of writing was an inevitability, but you guys. Oh, you guys! This story has surpassed fifty reviews and still is not over, I am so proud! I have been getting messages from people, practically begging me to continue writing. They have been expressing to me how dreadful leaving poor Oncie in this depressed state is and I cannot agree more. Thank you to everyone for your support. It means so very much to me. I hope my emotions do not hinder you enjoyment of this story. ^.^<p>

Bear with me, there will be a happy ending.


	18. Pieces

Disclaimer: I do not own this stuff, seriously ya'll, I don't...

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><p>Ted had searched everywhere he could find outside of the city for two days. He knew that his lover had fled his house but his whereabouts were elusive at best. The first search on the black speeder lasted an entire day and wound up fruitless. It left Ted grumpy and still sore as he trudged back into the Once-ler's house for the night. He woke bright and early the next day to find a trail he had not noticed before. There were slight tufts of brightly colored strands making a sparsely marked path through the gray rubble of dead landscape. He picked up the first bit of fluff between his fingers and though the orange fluff was nearly transparent due to its thinness, he knew it was as sure a sign as he would ever get. It was like a big, flashing, fluorescent, arrow sign pronouncing that the hiding man was this way. Ted raced down the barren land on his motorcycle. Each bright tuft of color he spotted spurred him on. This was the way to his Once-ler.<p>

Pinks, yellows, purples, and oranges occasionally flashed up at Ted as he sped towards his lover, leading him to an old factory. The building towered over the land of biological decay. On this drive, Ted would not even allow himself to ponder what these hills must have looked like when lively trees danced on them in huge clusters of swaying patches of color. No, he had eyes only for that monstrous building the nearly invisible colorful path pointed to.

The construct was impressive in size only. It rose up in all directions to sneer down at the hillsides it surely murdered. The tall walls were a dank appearing grey made up of stained concrete that was now chipping away with age. Ted celebrated the steel supports that could be seen from the outside even though he knew the building would be structurally sound without them. There were posters on the dingy walls. Torn, tattered, and soiled from age until they were nearly indistinguishable. Ted knew what they were advertising regardless of their state. This was the old thneed factory that gave his hometown its name. Why would the Once-ler ever choose to come to this place? Ted drove around to the front doors of the place after circling the building once to check for anything out of the ordinary. The anterior portion of the workhouse put out a brilliant façade. At least, it would have back when the place was kept up regularly. Large planes of glass stretched up three stories to surround the immense double doors but they were mostly broken now and exposed the large, open entryway. Ted leaned his cycle up against a tiled bench that over looked a now broken fountain. The figure in the tiled basin was now faced down and overrun by grikkle grass. The angry weeds had ensnared the slender statue and held its face down in the once water filled crevice as though they were attempting to drown the lifeless figure in its own failure. Ted could not blame the vengeful plants for their disdain, whoever that statue depicted had probably singlehandedly destroyed their home and created this creepy limbo. He left the enraged mob of grikkle grass and crossed the concrete square to the grand metal doors that were only slightly tainted by rust.

Surrounding the tall doors was a grand grey veined white marble archway that had also fallen into disrepair. Scores spread across some parts as if people had attacked the thing and names and scornful words were scrawled all over the bottom half of the thing, whatever could be reached by human arms. Ted noted graffiti littering the walls but could not recognize any of the artists' hand. This work must have been done years ago, before the walls around the city were even erected. The language on the walls came as no surprise really, but one word stood out to Ted. That word was 'FAG!' written in bright oranges and purples.

That was the word that would be used to describe him when people found out about his most recent relationship. Just thinking about it made a new small ache shoot from his rear end to remind him that he was one. Ted was a fag. He could not bring himself to care about the disgusted looks and comments that declaration could conjure up. Those were all from ignorant blockheads anyway. What sent a shiver down his spine was the thought that they might be the same in even a small way. He and the man who had destroyed this place may have shared even a small connection if that man truly was gay. Ted's face contorted in disgust just at the thought.

The heavy doors came open easily enough, once the rusty lock had been coerced into breaking open. A loud slam echoed into the vacant lobby. Rocks that were surely thrown to break the windows to the outside, lay resting on the cool stone tiles of the floor. One particularly well thrown stone had found a home on the security desk facing the doors. When the public discovered what this place had been doing to the ecosystem, the people who worked here probably needed all the security they could get. Ted crossed straight over to the information desk and peered at the directory positioned right next to it. Names and numbers were printed neatly in order by floor but Ted never made it past the first name he read. The office was the only one on the top floor. The name was printed in the same blocky font, the same size as any other but it stood out as though it took up half of the sign and was bright pink.

Room 1001: The Once-ler's Office

The helmeted boy had no idea how long he had been standing there staring at the sign but he was forced to stop because of the failing light streaming through the windows. He glanced behind him to see that the sun was on the other side of the building now. The front of the building faced the east, away from the setting sun. Ted flicked on the small lights built into his helmet. He was glad that he had splurged on this model. The others did not have nearly as many gadgets built into them. It was the second most expensive thing he had ever bought, only beaten in price by his speeder that was parked outside.

He continued into the building, knowing to not even try the elevators because there was no way this place would still have power. This meant that he would be taking the stairs all the way to the top floor, oh joy. The trek upwards into the rundown business place lasted an eternity but was not nearly as long as Ted had anticipated. He thought climbing the steps to the tenth floor would be a horrible torturous boring waste of his time, but he passed the time thinking.

The Once-ler was the one who had run this place, the head honcho. His lover was named the Once-ler too. His grandma Norma had directed him to the Once-ler's house to learn where all of the trees went when he was a child. He had gone once but never went back to hear the rest of the tale which ended abruptly with the Once-ler going to sleep after finding the truffula forest. He had said that it all happened a long long time ago but did he say anything else? "'It was all my fault,'" Ted remembered and paused on the stairs. So the old man chopped down all of the trees. Who was he? The Once-ler's father? Grandfather? Why did the still living Once-ler dress up as an old man and live out in a wasteland in a self-induced exile? What had his lover said? "'That kid was a menace,'" When Ted had asked about the old pictures in the basement, that was his answer. The pictures looked just like his lover, no they were of his love, there was no doubt then that means…

Ted paused. He was standing in an office that was in shambles. Everything was broken to be completely unusable except for a heavy black wooden desk that was even more ornate than the one at the Once-ler's house. A big painting of the Once-ler's family was left hanging from the wall skewed with a huge gash across it. Ted Picked up the loose canvas and held it in place to examine the smirking face of his lover clad all in an expensive green suit. The tear was meant to strike the successful young man's image. Ted dropped the cloth and the portrait fell from its hanger. He crunched through the ruins of the old office fixtures. Broken wood splintered across the black marble flooring identical to that in the Once-ler's rooms at home. It was black with the same silver and green veining. Glass from windows and who knows what else scraped beneath Ted's thick boots. Along with the crunch of paper and a plethora of other materials, it made a strange symphony of destruction. Ted stood before the desk now. It was not whole due to the lack of effort towards its destruction. There were a couple of deep gashes in the wood that hinted at a brute force's attack that was not quite strong enough to render the desk completely broken and a large amount of scuffs showed palely on the dark glossy surface from the battle.

Not much dust was on the desk. It was almost as if someone had been here recently. The floor and every other surface was practically coated with the stuff but the desk was rather clean. The Once-ler must have come here recently. Ted looked over the documents on the desk. An unmarked will bore the Once-ler's name but did not give an heir to his fortune. Other forms outlined just how extensive his earnings had been. One graph showed the production of thneeds up until the factory was shut down. Ted did not care to look at the total number of thneeds sold. One handwritten document was an old poem.

"As we all leave, here you will stay.

Never being forced, you will remember this day.

The swomee swans will fly, the humming fish swim,

The bar-ba-loots will flee until you're fixed by him.

Here we leave you, in this land so dry,

Waiting for your change, unless you change, you never die."

Ted stopped breathing. Was this some sort of joke? The animals all fled their home because it was inhospitable because of the pollution and the land was certainly dead, but never dying. Suddenly, the Once-ler being the exact same man in the pictures was a bit more believable. Ted still could not fathom it but it was a new theory. "Must be great to be forever young and look like that," Ted mumbled to himself, not really expect a response.

Just because you do not expect something, does not mean it does not come. A strange musty voice spoke to Ted from everywhere at once, "One would think that, wouldn't they?"

Ted looked around asking who was there but finding no one to claim the aged voice. Spooked, the boy fled the upper levels of the building and found himself back in the lobby. The Onc-ler could be hiding anywhere in this old building but Ted did not really believe the man had stayed here. The air itself could kill and even if the other man did not know that, he must know that he would starve here. No, there was just one place that Ted knew the Once-ler would inevitably return to. The Once-ler must have gone to the city.

Thneedville.

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><p>Thanks for continuing to review guys. I am creating a bit of what I like to call plot for this tale. Bare with me and you may just find you enjoy it. ^.^; Or not... I really hope I get some of my old readers back; I feel so bad for letting you down... By the way, just to be sure it is said. I approve of and support any sexual orientation as long as it does not include me.<p> 


	19. The Art of Trapping

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this. I do not even really want to take credit for my OC's.

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><p>Erin O'Hare hardly wanted to face the world any longer. It was her duty, the cost of her wealth and fame. The painted mask strewn across her own pale face had been perfected years ago by her delicate fingers. Each of the digits' tips was coated in a deep red lacquer that glistened like the blood of those she clawed away to get to her station. Those shining beacons of cruelty travelled up to her beehive hairdo. The mess of dirty blonde curls towered over her head, framing her features in what was supposed to be an alluring way. Her bloody talons spread over the full length skirt that rippled down from her slight hips. The fabric matched the deep red of her nails perfectly. It shimmered only slightly and showed off her subtle curves luxuriously.<p>

Tonight was the twenty-fifth anniversary of O'Hare air and her husband would not even be attending the party. She was used to things like this, being alone at parties or prestigious events while O'Hare goes off to squeeze his newest youngest assistant, but she did not expect it of him tonight. The ball was in honor of him and she had not a single idea of where he may have escaped to. He was never quite the socialite she was but he did so love the high life.

Erin knew the importance of enjoying this moment while it lasted. She knew what her husband did not. How couldn't she see it coming? The monopoly O'Hare worked so tirelessly to create was at its end. Other smaller companies were manufacturing clean air which would be ignorable if they were not stockpiling the stuff and banding together. Those ants had become a colony of African Driver Ants and were about ready to eat the whole cow. Yes, her time with O'Hare was nearing its end. She may be getting older but she had at least one more big marriage to go before she got out of the game. This party would be her test run. Oh, it had been many years since her skills were last implemented but she had something those younger chits did not, experience. She would flirt circles around those girls and show them just how real women did it.

Tonight she would pick her newest quarry. Some lucky young man with a potential for greatness will be her target now. She would help build him up just as she did for O'Hare and reap the rewards. At least this divorce would be painless, no kids to muck things up, and she already had evidence of O'Hare's infidelities so it would be futile of him to resist her.

The party was at her mansion in uptown Thneedville. Guests could already be heard mingling from below. In just a few minutes she would make her entrance, with or without her husband. She knew better than to fret over her appearance like some teenage girl might but she wanted so badly to begin sewing her seeds of interest tonight. The smiles and ignoring have always been her strong suit and would never truly vanish in her set of skills, but there was also walking to worry about, the touching that it was so easy to go overboard with, eyes, expressions, and feigning interest in trivial matters. It was almost time now. The second hand was ticking away on a grand ivory face that kept repeating to her that her skills would have to be dusted off and used. She glanced over at it to note that in less than a minute, she would make her way to descend the house's main grand marble staircase. Smiles would be given to everyone but lingering gazes to few. Laughter would have to be spread around as a good hostess would, but touches on the arm as her girlish giggle enchanted her guests would be reserved for potential prey. Ways to stand and speak to get those hot blooded boys thinking of her in such ways that they would never believe she had intended were being reviewed. She could always charm them wi- Knocking interrupted her mental preparations for the evening. "Come in," She called distractedly with her back to the door. She knew already who it was. The mansions doorman had his one distinct quiet rapping as he knocked. He should be below with the guests as was his duty, but she knew if he was disturbing her and shirking his orders, the cause must be something he believes important.

"Mistress O'Hare," The deep voice of Recks hisses out. "This young man was not on the guests list." Recks has been in Erin's employ long enough to know better than to allow strangers onto her property. She turns, ready to put her claws to use on the brutish man when she caught sight of the 'young man' her doorman was referring to. He was breathtaking to put it simply. Tall enough in stature to rival Recks but slender in an expensive suit. It was a black tuxedo, as the party was black tie, but the man wore it like a second skin. Man was not the word she would use if he was in jeans and a T shirt but the ease that he put into wearing the dress clothes made it impossible to think him anything else. "He wished to speak to Master O'Hare." Recks finished, knowing that his mistress would understand the statement. Everyone in the household knew very well which of the O'Hares was better with making decisions regarding the family's status. She waved the enormous man away and gave the 'young man' her undivided attention.

Once Recks excused himself, Erin felt herself unable to look at anything other than the man before her. She offered him a seat and he ventured further into the study. She was almost certain that the man with his cocky grin had the audacity to take her husband's seat but he stopped just a few feet short in front of the sizable desk and perched himself up on the tiled surface as though it was nothing. O'Hare had a taste for only the best since he had made his first billion. That marble tiled desk was a one of a kind antique used by the royal family of Denmark. More than sixty percent of that marble had gone extinct and the piece itself was worth more than the boy had probably ever seen. Every small tile was brought back from a different place by the original owner when they travelled and then the collection was fashioned into the surface of the desk. Many tables were made this way when it was popular but this was the only desk she had ever seen like it.

The young man just sat back on it grandeur though, with hands supporting his body as it leaned back with long legs crossed before him. His grin was more than arrogant. It was downright superior. His round childish face was flawless and perfectly framed by soft feathery black locks. Glossy black sunglasses were donned to make him look more menacing. Surely the child did not think wearing shades at nighttime was enough to give him an edge against her. Erin was young still but she still had at least five years on this kid. She could talk circles around him, she was sure. Still, he would make a lovely trophy husband, or maybe another secret lover. Yes, this boy would be a perfect liner for her bed.

"Miss O'Hare," The boy began to speak in his own self-assured way. "I am the Once-ler, I had a proposition for your husband but I believe you will be even more sentimental to my cause." The thin man paused to remove his sunglasses and rub weary blue eyes. As cocky as his grin seemed, Erin knew that he had reservations about coming here. His lanky limbs may have moved with a certain swagger as he walked but now that he was seated those limbs belied exhaustion and nerves. She smoothed her skirts, knowing very well that it would send her guest a message that she was nervous. She needed to be certain that her new mate could be a hunter after all. The man did seem to note her rather obscure body language with wide gorgeous blue eyes. Would it be a liability to snag a man with eyes that she could lose herself in? Not only did this boy have those haltingly beautiful eyes but he was sharp enough to give her a challenge. The upper class woman knew that she had to take care with this one. If she did not, she may be in danger of falling in love. "You see Miss O'Hare, I am the cause of your quite extensive fortune." How preposterous a claim to stake on another's own property. "You would think so wouldn't you?" The Once-ler's eyes pierced her own like icy pikes driving a fatal blow into her slight frame. Erin blushed, chagrined, she should be able to hold her tongue much better than that! Yes, this boy would prove to be quite an adversary. "Your husband was a victim of circumstance. An extremely crafty and fortunate one but his wealth was acquired mostly through a great bout of chance. His product would only have succeeded in very exact situations, and due to my own follies, his business was allowed to thrive. Now, I am sure you are wondering what I am doing uninvited on the night of your big party-" His words twisted that friendly smile of his into the semblance of a sneer. "Well as I said, I have a proposition. One that I find unlikely you will refuse.

"You see, at one time, this whole city was trees, plants, and animals. Not much need for purified air in a place like that. Then I came along, me and my fabulous invention that everyone would need. Me and my thneed showed up and ruined it all. And in that ruin, O'Hare's empire thrived. It was in my grave error that all this could come about. So that is why I came here, to get funding, for the next big thing: trees, real trees."

"Mr. Once-ler, if you think for one moment that you can come in here and ask for help in overthrowing everything that we have worked so hard to build up then you have another thing coming young man! I mean really, of all the-" By this time, Erin was on her feet gesticulating wildly about how inconceivable an idea it was.

"Miss O'Hare, I will have you know that there is not a fool present in this room." The Once-ler seemed to lose whatever misgivings he may have held when she lost her composure. He was now calm and completely at ease in his predecessor's home, sitting on that expensive desk. He knew how this conversation was bound to end but how long was he so sure? This young man, delusional or not, was dangerous to her and they both knew it, but Erin could not bring herself to care.

Still, there are appearances to keep up in this dance of theirs. Erin was far behind in this battle but she refused to lose the war to this lunatic who had already stolen her most closely kept possession. "If you are as intelligent as you fancy yourself, then tell me why I would ever choose to fund such an endeavor."

The Once-ler broke eye contact for the first time in what seemed to be forever for the now nearly breathless woman. He turned instead to wipe the dark lenses of his glasses with his handkerchief. "Now, now Miss O'Hare. This would go so much easier if we were honest with ourselves and each other. O'Hare Air's empire is collapsing. The monopoly you have established will soon be taken over by those younger companies that have been biting at your heels for some time now. Trees are the next big thing and they very well could be O'Hare's last chance. What do you say O'Hare?"

Somewhere when the Once-ler had put the dangers plaguing her company into words, the inevitability of O'Hare's collapse, she went weak in the knees and collapsed back into her chair. All decorum was lost. This battle had a definite victor and it was certainly not her. Tonight she would hardly need to cast her net because this man before her had already ensnared her clumsy fingers in his own trap. Even if she caught another, it would do nothing to satiate her appetite. She was starving and only this man was enough to quell her hunger. Just catching him would surely prove to be the greatest challenge. It always was when love was involved.

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><p>The 'plot' thickens. New characters make their appearances and the two lovers are far from together... Is it just me or is this starting to feel a bit like a soap opera... Oh well. All for the sake of good fanfiction! Er- fanfiction... Hope you guys enjoy what I have in store. ^.^<p> 


	20. A Race on a Puddled Track

Disclaimer: Does anyone know if it is really necessary for me to write that I do not own this every time? Warning: The F bomb is dropped again I think...

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><p>One last chance, sometimes that is all you get. It can be enough, but it can also come up short and leave you with nothing. This was the last chance. The revving engines and murky asphalt were the last chance and Ted could not help but throw himself into it. He had been a notorious street racer for years, since high school, but it had been so long since he had felt the need to race. This particular track had always been a crowd favorite and it seemed like it won out today as well. Much of downtown Thneedville could only be described as rickety to begin with but this section was downright falling apart. Parts of the street were left as gaping trenches to the sewers on purpose for this reason alone, so the races could be that much more exciting. Phillaphlop lined not only streets and gutters here but also had coated walls in a thick substance that greatly resembled tar. Ramps teetered as they travelled up to line the roofs of hunched buildings. Dark coloring of this portion of town reinforced the menacing vibe of the route.<p>

None of this could possibly deter Ted today though. He had a mission and would not back down for anything. This one race meant more than anything to him. Previous earnings here were funneled into the purchase of his helmet, renovations on his speeder, or whatever else he may have needed. This race, however was something so much dearer to him, it would determine the outcome of a life. A feeling spread through him, a rush of sorts. It resembled what he felt when he had first come to these parts of town as a kid. He needed money for medicine but all he had was his wheeler and selling it would only work for so long. Here there was no work for a kid still in school like he had been so he did the only thing he could do for the kind of money he needed, he turned to street racing. It seemed natural since he had practically been born on vehicles like that one so he knew that he would definitely win the race. In his youth, Ted could not have been more wrong. He had only won that first race because of the other driver's arrogance. Racing the wheeler to its fullest capacity was literally and figuratively child's play for these crowds and if the other driver had not accidentally nosedived into the sewers to his death, then Ted probably would not be here today. Of course he had not had the money he bet on that first race. He usually did not have whatever stakes he bet but back then, these 'people' would have killed him on the spot for wasting their time with such shenanigans. After that first race, Ted vowed not to return, but he eventually heard the engine's siren call when he was pawning machine parts from outside of the city. They called for him to buy this speeder and once he did, there seemed not to be a force on Earth that could pull him away from the tracks of Thneedville.

A familiar feeling plagued his body, the nerves that were ever present before a race takes place. These had been the same since he was a child. It seemed that the constant rumble of the speeder had equal chances of being caused by his own body's quivering. Fear was not quite how Ted would describe it, more of a rush, maybe an alien feeling of masochism. The love of the impending threat of death or worse, dismemberment on a run was something that drove most back to the speedways. It could be said that they would always return until one of those looming threats made them incapable of coming back for more but every now and then a racer would be lost to a loved one pulling them away from their self-harming ways. Ted knew that nothing would drive him from this thrill. It would forever be a major part of him.

His slightly trembling head turned to regard his opponent from within his glossy black helmet. R.J. was one of the heaviest of the street racers. He passed six feet with ease though Ted had no clue how much taller than that the man was, more than half a foot certainly. His bulk was the real surprise for this racer. Whatever R.J. did for a living, it was a near certainty that he lifted heavy objects or something of the like. One of his arms was tattooed red with all sorts of black markings on it but it mostly reminded Ted of a big fire hydrant that someone had drawn on. If Ted was asked to guess, he would say that the man's arms were probably harder than the metal wrought hydrant.

R.J. was a friendly man, off the track, who was always willing to give some fatherly advice to the younger racers. He was more than ten years Ted's senior and everyone downtown knew that this year would most likely be his last regardless of his risky tendencies. Like so many in this district, his body had been exposed to toxins far too much and was beginning its decline. His exterior barely showed that the smog had had an effect on him though an odd dark tinge to his skin marked him as one who worked outside often. This discoloration was mostly hidden beneath a dull grey-green helmet with a metallic yellow visor and black canvas clothes.

R.J.'s size could be ignored at a distance on his motorcycle though. A Titan they called it, but Ted had only seen two ever in the city. They were both custom jobs by Zoomit, some big auto manufacturer that Ted could never afford to buy something from. This one was that same grey-green color that made Ted wonder if the helmet was made by Zoomit as well or if one of the items was just made to match the other. The other Titan belonged to some shmuck from uptown Thneedville. It was a deep blue with chrome that tried to blind whoever was unfortunate enough to glance its way. Its rider was some business man who looked like a child joyriding on the thing, as much from the amount of control and ease of riding as from the size of the vehicle.

A black leather clad sausage of a finger tapped nonchalantly on the speedometer of R.J.'s Titan, Atlas. Ted knew this signal, he had used it himself once or twice before. Not all of the motorcycles had speedometers so occasionally another surface was tapped such as a watch face or gas gauge but the message was always the same. R.J. was willing to throw the race for Ted. For many racers, this signal was an abomination but for some of the others who made their livings through races, it acceptable to be used every once in a while. R.J.'s helmet was not facing him, but Ted would have bet the steely grey eyes beneath it were trained on him. This race was his everything and they both knew it but Ted had to follow through with his signal if he was to accept this tremendous gift from the other man. Ted turned to regard the crowd behind him for just a brief moment. It was done, all he had to do now was make the show good enough for the crowds and they would get away with it.

Ted's breathing had slowed into the more measured breaths that many athletes use moments before a sprint. His fingers flexed over the speeder's grips, searching for that one familiar grip that he always used in races. There, now a skimpy clothed girl with wild bottle red hair stood before the two cycles with her silky ebony flags. Ted's muscles tensed like a big cat ready to pounce on a gazelle. Slightly smudged, bright red lips cocked up as the flags came down to either side of her now crouched form but Ted had not seen the smile.

Ted's speeder was already far gone, the gas having been slammed into. He and R.J. were abreast with one another as they zipped past a blur of dark grey scenery, the cycles moving so fast that they left split puddles and trash stirred up by the wind of their wake.

A roaring wind and the resistance was all Ted could sense in the whole world but he focused on every small detail of the path he would be taking. A pothole here meant that he would have to deviate to the left a bit. Up ahead though, was a gaping hole in the street that would push him right up onto Atlas's wicked spikey exterior if he was not careful. R.J. swerved toward him to fake put him off balance but it was not going to deter him this time. Ted sped up just enough to overtake the other man who responded by nudging him in a less than friendly way but one that would not leave any lasting damage to the speeder. Ted veered right to avoid the enormous puddle that was hiding that treacherous trench. He hated riding here after a big rain. Up ahead the hole riddled street was covered entirely by a glassy coating of tainted water. Ted avoided the dips with ease by taking a ramp on the side of the street up onto the roofs of the houses. He could not feel the tremor in the ramp nor the near violent shaking it left behind but he did note an odd dip the rickety structure took on in its middle when he rode over it. Dry rot in the plastic began to make frightening cracking noises as the structure began to break apart making the speeder jolt in its mad dash. Ted over compensated to feel the bottom of his leg scrap perilously on the surface of the ramp. Evening out left Ted panting and the speeder wobbling still more. Ten more feet and he would be free of this teetering contraption. The plastic continued to lurch beneath him as he closed that gap to solid ground much too slowly for his liking. The front wheel hitting asphalt felt almost like an impact all its own. Ted swerved to avoid another gaping chasm in the pavement before reaching out a hand towards the marker. His turn around the post was fast and left his left leg flush against the coarse road as he skidded over it for a matter of excruciatingly painful moments. He leveled out only to realize there was another problem. R.J., who was now right on his heels had apparently taken that same path he had to avoid the potholes and it was completely trashed. Jagged edges jutted out as if the speeder and Atlas had shattered the plastic which was a distinct possibility. Both men would have to go through the mine field. Ted only hoped that his memory of this road was good enough.

Ted tried to picture the street without the water. He could see the holes clearly. He and the speeder dipped and swerved around the pits in an intricate dance that left the holes with their water hidden mouths gaping in a mixture of awe and anger. One jutting piece of pavement caused the team to lurch but it was nothing that Ted could not handle. The huge trench to the sewer was easily evaded as well and Ted knew he was home free with R.J. about twenty feet behind. A wicked smile crept onto his face around panted breaths. 'Just forty feet more,' he thought while dodging another pothole puddle. Pop! Pop! The sounds were nearly as deafening as the screech that followed sending Ted and his speeder down to skid across the unforgiving road. Pain did not begin to describe the burning all over Ted's body. Atlas sped by and within seconds crossed the finish line to slant to a halt. The hulking man dismounted before the motorcycle had completed its stop it seemed. He along with other familiar faces were all dashing towards Ted but if the hazy darkened edges to his field of vision were anything to go by, they would not make it in time.

Ted groaned weakly trying to decipher what had happened and how damaged his body really was. Moving just brought about unbearable pain and did not seem to translate to his limbs. Was he a paraplegic? That thought hardly even sent him a sliver of worry because he noticed that his vision was oddly fragmented in a foreign bright way. It did not really matter what happened from here on out anyways. He had fucked up. His life was officially over. With that fleeting thought, his vision was taken over by powerful steely grey eyes and concerned youthful brown ones. A loud bass took over his ears as though he was standing far too close to the speakers in a club. A higher pitched whine followed shortly after but the end of it coalesced into the semblance of syllables.

The bass took over again to conquer Ted's ears, "Stay awake Ted. Don't sleep." As much as Ted would have loved to obey the voice, his body had other plans as it slipped from consciousness. His ears only registered one last word before he fell away entirely, "Concussion." The darkness that enveloped him was not so bad, at least it took away all the pain along with the light.

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><p>Holy shizzlegizzengar! When I first began this tale, I did not expect it to reach 35,000 words nor get over sixty five reviews with still more comments and personal messages. I honestly do not think that I need any more encouragement to continue this story but if you like to review they are still a wonderful treat for me to receive. Thank you so much for all of your enthusiasm. It means a great deal to me.<p>

Another thing that should be noted is the fact that it is extremely difficult to write about something that you have no idea about. I really need to borrow someone's motorcycle to experience its thrills so I can write them better. If anyone can help me improve this, please do not hesitate to criticize. Sorry for the wait on this one but I had a difficult time writing this chapter. Thank you to everyone who takes the time out to read this. I hope you enjoy it. ^.^ -Syco-


	21. Where You Have Been, Where You Are Going

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Lorax". Warning for language.

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><p>Hollow brown eyes tiredly regarded their counterparts in a broken, blood splattered mirror. Their owner was completely numbed by some pill that was forced down his throat. It had kept him completely paralyzed and painless for hours but it had also kept him awake. Ted wished he did not know what that drug was used for but the thought would not leave him. R.J. had a whole bottle filled with those things that were so often used to drug young girls to take advantage of them or kidnap them to bring them into the prostitution ring. That bottle was just the one Ted had seen, who knows how much of that stuff R.J. had, but Ted could not deny that no matter what the man was involved in, he had saved him. R.J. had brought him to his house to recover from the crash. The act may have just been to repay Ted for the money he had earned for him just a month before to help with medical bills but Ted could not overlook the generosity R.J. showed him.<p>

Another wave of boiling heat welled up into the boy's mouth to signal another bout of heaving but his empty stomach lurched to void itself of nothingness. Ted had already lost what seemed like every meal he had ever eaten. He watched his reflection raise a hand to wipe its mouth and now satisfied that nothing more would be able to come up, he departed from the bathroom to reunite with the small gathering at R.J.'s kitchen table. It was a fairly motley bunch of people Ted counted as friends that had stayed to make sure he would survive the head injury that had actually dented his two thousand dollar helmet. EatR had insisted the overpriced thing had done its job and saved him when Ted was still paralyzed and the others were discussing it but R.J. had not been convinced that the thing was not a waste of hard earned cash.

The two were still arguing over something though Ted could not decipher what about. Though she was not present at the race, apparently EatR had jumped on Hunkling as fast as possible to bolt down here when she heard the outcome. At twenty six, she was Ted's big sister of the rougher side of town. Her black wavy hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail that streamed down to her elbows. She wore a tight white wife beater tank top that did nothing to hide her high beams and a pair of black running shorts. She fiddled with her ever present rope bracelet while glaring daggers at R.J. from across the cluttered table. Her face was scrunched up into a squinting mass of hatred that hid her black eyes until they seemed beadier than they really were. She had been cursed with something like a baby doll's face and was often over looked as a racer. Her full fanned lashes and plump pouting lips looked more silly than anything when she was at the tracks, glaring at anyone who crossed her path. She was thin but her dark skin retained a healthy glow that was uncommon around this table. One of the blessings of being a woman, you could find work that was not hazardous to your health. No, EatR was a very successful showgirl but Ted could never figure out where it was she performed.

R.J. did not have that problem though. Apparently he had stumbled across her act at one time and embarrassed her at it in some way. The two had been at odds like cats and dogs since, like they were now. R.J. did not seem nearly as put off by their arguments. He always seemed to have the upper hand even if EatR was right. Now though, he was off his game. Somehow in his own lair, he seemed uneasy. He was standing tensely in a corner against the plastic composite countertop and garbage disposal. He probably stood to allow his guests to take the four mismatched chairs at his table. Two were a dingy pair of pale blue green vinyl cushions supported by metal frames that certainly had their share of brown stains. One was a medium brown wooden chair that was greatly scuffed but sturdy enough to support much more than EatR's slight weight. The last one was a cream colored plastic stool with cuts and writing spread across its surface. R.J. had been sitting there until Ted took his place when he woke. Ted sat back on the creaky surface to rejoin the gathering.

Ted was sitting almost in front of the standing hulk who had drugged him earlier just that day. Between Ted and EatR was Wes, probably acting like a sort of barrier for the two adults who were constantly at war. A pathetic hindrance for the two, he was. Wes was still in school, a freshman in high school this year actually. He was tall and lanky but boy was he skinny. Most joked that a slight breeze could whisk him away and the joke was only reinforced by his first encounter with a motorcycle. Apparently he did not have a good enough grip on the thing because he flipped right over the taillight and onto the pavement behind him. His terror filled expression sent the hardened racers into hysterics but even with his mortification, it was a rite of passage for him. That was probably his best chance as wall between EatR and R.J., everyone in the crew loved him and would murder someone before allowing anything to harm the boy. One of the sharks had ended that way actually. He did not die by racer's hands but he was frightened so badly that he never returned to the tracks. Now if only the rest of the sharks would disappear too. They were necessary for betting purposes but they were the real danger of the tracks. They glorified themselves and took any role between friendly repo men to old Grim's job to collect debts from betting. EatR had fallen into their hands when she first came around. She had placed a bet she could not follow through with and was passed around between them for some fun before they started to really got down to business. They all claimed that one finger was all she owed but everyone knew better than that. Someone had interfered when they removed her left ring finger and they were ashamed to admit someone could overpower the lot of them. No one knew who had done it though since those were considered private matters.

She joked about it now sometimes saying that she was married to Hunkling but the crew knew that the event left her horrified. On EatR's other side was Wes's mom. She was a matronly character in physique and tendencies. Ted could still feel echoes of the sensation of her fingers brushing back his hair while he was immobilized. Mama Rose, everyone downtown called her though she lived in the mid-city. Someone had even painted her house a rosy pink color to match her name which she good naturedly kept up. She had a lighter shade of brown hair than her son but their dark eyes were the same. Now her rather plump cheeks pushed up wards by her mauve stained lips. Her smile was enough to put Ted at ease. She was the one who decided which medicine they would use one him since he did not have the money or insurance to go to the hospital. He needed to be awake but she did not want him to experience the pain from the crash so those date rape drugs were chosen out of R.J.'s limited medicine cabinet. Today she was in a pink shirt and khaki pants. Her son wore a forest green button up and a pair of khaki slacks that could have been the same pair as his mother's except for the size differences. These were his school uniform, Mama Rose must be furious that he was missing class.

The two bickering individuals were still stuck in some sort of stalemate of recriminations when Rose cut them off to address Ted. "What in Thneedville did you think you were doing Ted? I thought you had finally come to your senses enough to give up on this silly racing thing." Everyone turned to look at the still battered but now heavily bandaged boy. It was not him who answered though.

"He did it for 'is Ma, Rose," R.J. put a big gloved hand on the table next to Ted. Every racer knew the lust for racing was something others just did not get so they had long since given up trying to explain it to the concerned woman, but this time was different, it seemed some sort of justification was in order for this race, it was after all Ted's last chance to make everything right. "Apparently he hasn't been to work for a week. She's going to be evicted from the home and Ted also lost his apartment to in that race. My question is where they hell have you been boy?" R.J.'s other enormous hand went to Ted's hair to force the boy's head back to make eye contact for the answer.

"He hasn't been going to work either? Ted, this is not all because of that girl is it?" Mama Rose sounded concerned now. Of course she knew about his previous infatuation for Audrey but did she have to bring it up in front of racers?

EatR picked it up from there, "What girl? The red haired vixen that has been makin' Ted's pants tight since he got outta diapers? Sorry, but I don't think she wants ya. That new tree makin' guy of hers was the one who rigged the course."

"We don't know that for sure!" R.J. retorted, releasing Ted's hair to lean over the dirty table, closer to the black haired girl.

"Oh, it was so that-"

"Guys!" Wes yelled with his voice cracking shrilly which sent the congregation bursting into hearty guffaws but effectively cut the arguing off. "Look, what is really important is where the fuck Ted has been."

"Wesley! Language!" Mama rose scolded in a hushed voice.

"That is not important now Rose," R.J. turned back the regard Ted with his serious steely eyes. "Well, Ted? Where you been?"

While he was gone, Ted had not thought about it much. Leaving was so easy, as running away often was. His mother should have had plenty of money saved up. He still was not certain what had happened to her retirement fund but now she was broke, made destitute by indiscernible circumstances. Now he was left homeless, jobless and he had to come up with a way to support his mother. He could not find where to begin. Thankfully, Wes chimed in to give him a point to start from.

"Was it really all because of Audrey?" His voice was quiet but everyone had heard. It felt strange to Ted, hearing her name and not feeling that burning desire to please her.

"Yeah. No. Hell, I don't know." Ted answered glumly. "I left because I was mad at first and then I just couldn't come back. I know it's stupid but I could not help myself. I just," His voice faltered. What was he about to say? He just fell in love that was it, but was that right?

"Oh Teddy, you can't just hide in a hole just because a girl doesn't like you. Where have you been anyways?" EatR reached out lay a hand over one of Ted's earning her a glare from R.J..

Ted pulled his hands away to put them demurely in his lap. "I left the city," The collective gasp that resounded from his statement could not have gone better if it was planned. "I went out to see the Once-ler. I broke his window and have been spending the past week fixing it."

R.J. snorted from behind him, "You expect us to believe it took you a week to fix a window. What is the Once-ler anyway?"

"He- uh," Ted could not think of a way to describe the man. So far all the Once-ler had done was trick him, fuck him, and trick him again. "He killed all the trees." The admission was a revelation to Ted. The Once-ler was that man who murdered all of the trees. He was the same monster that killed any chance Ted had with Audrey. The Once-ler was the reason Ted was here, jobless and homeless, trying in vain to find some way to keep both he and his mother alive. Ted was lost to the world now. His friends tried to wheedle more answers from him but he was so broken that he sat motionless and quiet for the rest of the evening while the others fought over and debated his fate. R.J. volunteered to put him up as evening came upon them. EatR left to start her shift dancing and after a dinner made by Mama Rose, she and Wes went home to mid-city.

Once the two were alone, R.J. coaxed Ted onto the beaten up couch with a blanket and pillow. They sat watching each other for a long time. Ted barely noting that the other was there and R.J. thinking of nothing else. Finally, before R.J. departed for bed, he tucked Ted in, looking like there was something more he wanted to say but unable to say it. The lights went out and Ted was again plunged into darkness but this one did not have the same effect as the last. His problems and pain were only worsened by this blackness. Ted lay there, wondering about the blue eyed man.


	22. Serendipity in an Elevator

Disclaimer: I do not make monies from this nor own "The Lorax".

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><p>A quite formidable mountain of fluffy bubbles towered over the rim of the gold lined gray marble bathtub. The Once-ler lifted a slim leg out of the mound to watch the white patches slowly trail down the pale limb. No amount of scrubbing in the world was enough to clean his conscience. His plan was coming together quite nicely if he did say so himself. He had not spoken to Aloysius O'Hare yet but there was no need to, that he could see. Erin was infatuated with him and pretended to put up a fight before relenting to his ideas. Even now she would be deciding what plot of land would be the prime one to reserve for their purposes. She could identify a sinking ship and was prepare to grasp at any stray driftwood to keep her afloat. She never paused to consider whether this little tugboat he offered to save her was any safer than the wild waves of the ocean's waters. It was filled to the brim with a writhing angry collection of exotic poisonous snakes. The Once-ler could not make himself feel guilty for setting the woman up. She was certainly ready to cast any number of innocents aside to keep her status in the <span>rich<span> district. He could not be blamed for joining in on the game she had already set in motion and defeating her in it, could he? He scratched a soapy ankle with his toenails. If he stayed in this water too much longer, he would get pruney.

Extracting his body from the soapy water was easy enough but it took more than one toweling to rid himself of all of the jasmine scented suds. His old tailored green suit was donned once he was dry. Special care was taken in the straightening of his black and green striped green silk tie and in adjusting the tops of his nearly arm length green gloves. The whole outfit was topped off with his tall green hat. It was all silky and perfectly starched to keep creases in all the right places.

It had been years since he last wore these clothes so smartly. They still hung perfectly off his thin frame. He smoothed the lapels of his coat unnecessarily, if he was going to show any weakness, now was the time. He had yet to decide whether he liked being back in his old clothes. These sent sparks to course through his body like a million tiny lightning bolts jumping about to reawaken nerves to old sensations they used to be accustomed to. That rush of power and superiority warred with much newer feelings of guilt. The man in this suit had seized the world with both gloved hands. As much as the Once-ler would have loved to deny it, he was that same man no matter where he was or in what clothes. No matter how he spun it, he was still the ambitious young man who took over this town. He was still the careless youth that destroyed the trees.

The rooms the Once-ler had rented were ones he would have only dreamed about before he sold his first thneed. They were something called a penthouse in Thneedville's most exclusive hotel. The need for hotels in an enclosed city left him puzzled until late last night when a group of rowdy over privileged boys checked in with their 'guests'. They were far from the only ones here to partake in such endeavors. The Once-ler had seen people of both genders and all ages paying for both a different place to stay and a new body to spend the night with. There were a couple of families staying to avoid being further inconvenienced by home renovations and more still who were taking a sort of vacation from the monotony of their luxurious lives.

Everything here was silks and plush clean carpets. Thin handmade china vases held only the lushest flowers to accent the décor. Intricate sculptures that surely go unnoticed as long as they are in attendance litter hutches and mantles. Like most, the amenities mean nothing to the Once-ler, as long as the room is extravagant enough to suit his new lifestyle.

None of these fixtures were so much as noticed as the tall blue eyed man made his way to the elevator. It was encased in gold plated doors and tiled with granite on its floor. Crystalline glass made up three sides of the vessel so the riders could see the exposed atrium the hotel had to offer. The thing was speedy enough, but only two floors down from the top floor, the doors opened again to pick up a woman with fierce black eyes and a wild mane of glossy black curls. Nearly six inch heels still left a half a foot of difference in height to the Once-ler's favor. She regarded him from between thick fanned lashes with her kiss dulled red lips pursed into a full lipped pout. Her body language only emphasized a sense of disdain towards the richly clad man as her jacketed arms crossed below her breasts. Her coat was a coal colored length of wooly fabric that flared out below her waist to make a full skirt that dipped down to her knees. It was buttoned up all the way now but the Once-ler was sure it had not been the night before. The elevator stopped again but this time it stayed put without opening the doors which elicited a groan from the girl.

A green gloved finger pressed the button for the lobby again and again several times before a smooth tan hand grabbed his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip. "Would you stop that Greenie?" Her whiney voice was just a bit hoarse when she spoke. The fingers of her right hand flew to her left wrist to finger a frayed rope bracelet. "Some big name wants to either inconvenience the whole building for a while or really wants to keep us here. You haven't been doing anything to upset Mr. O'Hare, have you?" She flipped waves of dark hair out of her face before resuming her fiddling.

The question threw the Once-ler off for just a moment. A whore really did just ask him if he did anything to the most powerful man in town. "No more than you, my dear, I presume," He flashed her his most charming smile as he leaned up against the heavy metal railing that separated his body from the glass and the contained artificial wildlife beyond. She eyed him with an appraising look that he was positive women must practice before plopping down to sit cross legged on the tile floor. He followed her lead and leaned against the glass to get comfortable, it could be a long stay. "So, what's your name?"

She looked up at him almost startled before assuming a persona the Once-ler had seen far too many times before. "What do you want it to be?" Her voice was in full seductive mode as it purred the question out. His answer was mumbled but in the quiet elevator she could just barely make it out. Ted. This guy was gay. It would be a waste of her time to try to get another paycheck out of him. "How long've you liked boys?" She wanted to throw herself off the elevator regardless of the floor for asking but she found herself unable of restraining her wondering tongue and mind.

"I never really cared what gender my lover was before. Now, I only want him." The Once-ler fidgeted with his gloves as he spoke, keeping his eyes away from the questioning girl.

She sat back against the wall opposite her company continuing to ring her bracelet around her wrist, "Sounds like that love thing fairytales are always harping about," Her voice sounded distracted.

His answer was quietly spoken back at her, "Feels like it too," As if on cue, the elevator began its descent once again causing the Once-ler to bolt to his feet. When helping the girl up, he noticed she was missing a finger on her left hand. Neither said anything until the doors opened to the lobby and they stepped out of the lift.

"Name's Eterna," The girl said while turning to him cheerfully. Her sparkling dark eyes seemed livelier then they had before.

The Once-ler was about to answer back when a hotel attendant approached him from behind, "Mr. Once-ler," The attendant tapped his shoulder. He opened his mouth to speak to her. "Mr. Once-ler, Mr. O'Hare has asked to see you." The tiny man squeaked out again seeming quite mouse like in his light gray uniform. The Once-ler shook his head, reminding himself that he is not here to make friends with prostitutes. He followed the man away from the shock frozen girl.

So it was O'Hare who had stopped the elevator. At least the man was decent enough to spare the Once-ler the trouble of chasing him down. Apparently, he has been far too busy with the high life for work or even parties honoring him. The blue eyed man flipped his bejeweled blue glasses onto his face and suppressed most of his pleased grin. There was no point in showing O'Hare how perfectly his plans were falling into place.

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><p>Time for another round of randomly selected questions from Syco's question box. First question! They no love each other no more? T^T Guys, guys. Just cause they are not near each other acting like bunnies in heat does not mean there is not love there. Sometimes things just happen in relationships. Will Oncie leave Ted for someone better? Read the description of this story on fanfictionnet. This is a TED-LER story. There may be some nonTed-ler aspects but over all it is about love between Ted and the Once-ler. Okay, next question... The air outside is deadly? YES! Ted and his mom are homeless? Mhm. What will happen to them? I am still writing that part thank you. What did the Once-ler grab when he went back to his office? There is a lot of speculation about this going on and I am loving every bit of it. The Once-ler was a very successful business man in his time. There are some things in this story that hint just a bit at what he may have retrieved. Most of what has been guessed is pretty close if not absolutely right but I have not heard mention of some of the things going on in my head... It seems I have finally bested you guys.<p> 


	23. Meeting With O'Hare?

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Warning: Cursing, but this is rated M guys...

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><p>Fake birds chirped and called from within the artificial aviary as the Once-ler followed the grey clad attendant. Further on were conference rooms and big ball rooms for parties. Twists and turns wound the pair further into the hotel's depths but eventually they came to a dead end with just one nondescript pale wooden door. The mousey man gestured the Once-ler to it over his full belly. A green gloved hand took a hold of the antique doorknob, turned it and pushed as the hotel employee disappeared back into the maze of hallways.<p>

He was already forgotten though. The Once-ler was all about the man on the other side of this door. He entered, taking care to close the door and appear unrushed. It would not do to have the other man thinking he can control the One-ler too much. Requesting a meeting is one thing but trapping someone in an elevator and summoning them is another. This man had to see the Once-ler unperturbed. The Once-ler turned to regard his company. If this was Mr. O'Hare, Mr. O'Hare sure was pretty.

A busty blonde sat before him reading in a well- stocked library. She looked up when he entered and smiled, baring two rows of perfectly shaped pearly teeth. She stood to smooth her tight black pencil skirt and adjust the top of her mostly unbuttoned white dress shirt. She slipped off a pair of black rimmed reading glasses and spoke in a low womanly voice, "Ah, Mr. Once-ler. I have been waiting for you. I am Angel Wiles, Mr. O'Hare's secretary." She offered a perfectly manicured hand to the Once-ler which he promptly caught to kiss, thankful that the action gave his lips something to do other than grin dumbly. Angel blushed cutely at the action and covered her mouth with a hand.

"That certainly is a pair of chompers you've got Mrs. Wiles. It is a shame to cover them up so," The Once-ler commented slyly. He busied himself with putting his green top hat onto a table bare of books. Angel smiled bashfully at this which nearly brought a flush to his own face at how crossed arms showcased her bosom. "So, where is O'Hare hiding?" He punctuated the question with a glance under a table as she giggled at his antics.

She put her book aside and gestured the Once-ler to a pair of chairs near a cold fireplace. Angel said, "I am sorry for deceiving you, sir, but Mr. O'Hare is not coming today. Also, it's MISS Wiles, not Mrs." She accented her last statement with a gesture to the unringed ring finger of her left hand.

"Ah, I see. My apologies, I just figured that a charming girl like yourself would be stolen off the market. If I am not meeting O'Hare today, why am I here?" He smirked out his sexiest smile.

She arranged herself in her red silk cushioned wooden chair with legs crossed. Emerald eyes bore into the Once-ler's own icy ones as she spoke, "Mr. O'Hare has been quite busy in the past few days. He was not even present for his company's twenty-fifth anniversary celebration. I was hoping that you, the man who just appeared in the city seemingly out of nowhere, could clear some of these questions up. For instance, I would love to know why a man who is barely even fifty is suddenly so interested in retirement homes. His newly acquired taste for lower class filth could also use some explaining," Her flawless face drew back in a sneer as she referenced downtown Thneedville.

Suddenly, things began to click for the suited man, "Been missing your sugar daddy, have you?" He chuckled, "What kind of 'lower class filth' has he been interested in, Miss Wiles?"

"The street racing, and the factories, you jolly green giant! What else would I possibly be talking about?" She fumed, face reddening.

"Street racing?" What would a billionaire have to gain street racing?

"The motorcycle tracks in downtown Thneedville. Do not think for a moment that I would not notice the two of you rigging them to bring that poor boy down. What could you possibly have to gain from making him lose everything? So what if a kid missed work for a little while, it is not the end of the world!"

A kid missed work, and got in a motorcycle accident? "Ted," The girl almost did not hear his quiet outburst but it was noted.

"Yes, yes. Ted Wiggins, that kid that you worked with O'Hare to sabotage. Did you think I would not figure out that those funds we rewired were his? It is not like there was much to gain from any of this. His accounts were chump change to people like us. He is common-" She cut off when the Once-ler jumped to his feet.

"Don't you talk about Ted like that! He is more than anything you will ever be!" With the the man strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He had to get out of there. There must be some place to go and clear his mind. Ted, his Ted, had been in an accident! What had happened? Large plated glass doors were slid open to expose a room with vaguely familiar sounds. He continued his blind trek. Was Ted okay? Where was he? A constant roar drew him unconsciously until he was standing in a very secluded spot before a ten story waterfall. He finally snapped back to himself. Trees were everywhere and that sound was birds. 'Dead. I must be dead. How can I save Ted if I am dead?' A bright colored batch of feathers high above head caught his attention. That hanging thing was not a bird. He grabbed a leaf off of a nearby tree to examine it between long gloved fingers. Everything here was fake. This was the hotel's aviary. He backed up to a fake stump to sit. This whole place was a pitiful illusion just as the trufoola tree had been. Ted did not seem too fond of that thing. Maybe he had said something to upset someone or something. Where was he now? That bimbo had said he was in downtown Thneedvile but where? He stood, "Damn it!" He had just walked out on the one person that might have given him answers about his lover. The sprint back to the library was riddled with wrong turns and stunned workers and patrons. When he finally arrived back in the wood furnished room, there was no one there. "Well fuck," He could not get a hold of O'Hare long enough to talk, what chance was there of him talking to his sexy assistant who he just insulted. He snatched up his hat to perch it up on his black hair. Her book was still set upon a polished wooden table. He approached it slowly, as though it would snap at him if he startled it. The title stood out on the cover of the heavy book clearly, "The Trees of the World," So, O'Hare's secretary was interested in trees?

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><p>Had a rough day. Did not edit. Sorry about the length.<p> 


	24. Joblessness

Disclaimer: I disclaim this...

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><p>Everyone knew that downtown Thneedville was the most dismal place in existence. There was no question about that. What most people do not know, however, is that only one thing could make the polluted streets full of decaying manmade structures even more dreary, rain. Fat, cold, brown-tinged droplets that stung the skin and could cause blindness fell from grey stormy clouds that only appeared that day. Ted was always adamant that the clouds were man made. He never had any proof but it seemed the rains were specifically planned to keep people in their homes or places of work. They occurred periodically, and mostly in downtown, as if life there was not already miserable enough. Ted, of course, being of hardier fare that most, was out and about in the poisonous downpour. He huddled the large plastic jacket closer around his form. It was the same dark green some of the machines made as a byproduct at his former work.<p>

That was why he was out today, searching for work. His mom would be out on the streets in a matter of days if he did not pay her dues at the home. His friends had bought her a couple of days with their paychecks. Apparently, EatR had even taken an extra night shift or two to pull in a load of extra cash for this cause. Unfortunately, when it was apparent to the banks that the crew was helping Ted with his financial problems, their accounts were frozen too. Ted had incurred someone's ire, and he still had no clue who. Was O'Hare still upset that he left the city again? The two men had not even seen each other since Ted was a child. The first time he had snuck out. Ted could not count how many times he had since, so why was this last time so important?

His black booted feet stopped instinctively on a board covered stoop. The word "evicted" stared smugly at him as if he needed a reminder that he was losing. He commanded his feet to start again, in a different direction this time. He hated showing up at R.J.'s door jobless but he had no idea what else he could do. It was his suggestion to pawn the speeder so he could pay the other man rent, but R.J. refused this option. The hulking man had claimed that he would rather own the motorcycle than get money for it so Ted 'gave' it to him. There was still speculation to whether the man would keep it for payment, but he did bring it to his bud's garage for safe keeping. Ted missed it sorely already, walking left him far too vulnerable but what was worse was that his helmet had a leak in its disastrous state. It let in nasty smelling air from outside even though the filter still worked to give him oxygen with the toxins. His eyes had just started burning a few minutes ago but he knew he was almost to his destination.

Without his speeder, Ted noticed much more about his neighborhood. For instance, here there were still those plastic bubbles that had come out a few years ago only to be recalled in less than a month. The things were supposed to hold air in their confined spaces so the children could play outside for longer periods but as the air ran out, they suffocated without even realizing it. These seemed still in use, sitting next to doorsteps or under artificial trees for protection from the hazardous weather. Cars here had been eaten by smoggy rains over the years and were now mostly rusted carcasses that ran by some miracle, if at all. There were occasional newer models that were far less affected but they would be soon enough if their owners did not find a garage in which to keep them.

The plastic houses were mostly dry rotting to crack in less than structurally sound areas. Ted had seen neighbors go with the older houses collapsing. People, young or old had been taken by this fate as well as fires. Fires here were uncontrollably terrible. Since the houses were rarely removed of the industrial pollution, the stuff ignited like gas doused fireworks. Nothing anyone could do would have saved that first horrible smelling building, but the other two that fell to the spreading flames might have remained if the neighbors had acted just a little quicker. It happened like that all too often. An entire block had been lost just short of two years ago. For this reason, arsonists were killed quickly, usually by vigilantes.

Ted climbed a swirling dark grey plastic ramp to his temporary living space. This building was a dark blue with faded graffiti strewn across its surface. The first time he saw it, Ted was in awe of some of the artistic tags and paintings. R.J. claimed a couple were from his own hands but Ted was skeptical. The front door had no locks, but anyone would be crazy to try to steal from this man. R.J. was lying on his ratty old green sofa. It was pretty comfortable, well broken in Ted supposed. He had a mechanics manual covering the upper half of his smog darkened face. Ted hated how the pollution created a yellow green complexion in the faces of people who worked too closely with it. The television drowned out the soft sound of his snoring but a higher pitched voice nearly echoed through the cluttered room. Ted had to admit that the place was cleaner than when he was first brought here but R.J. did not quite seem to know what to do with most of his stuff. Books, motorcycle parts, and even money lay scattered across the apartments.

"And for another thing!" EatR called much more clearly to startle the slumbering man awake. She must have been in the kitchen. "Ted's cleaned most of this slum, you call a house," She paused in her rambling to curse at something. She certainly was a talented chef but she did not do it very often apparently. Whatever had irked her was not too bad or she would ask for help so Ted shrugged it off as his host lowered his reading material to peer into the kitchen. Well, glare more than anything.

"I said what I had to woman! Besides, this is a HOME, but I suppose a home wrecker like yourself would not know one when they see it," R.J.'s gruff voice called out to complete his portion of their normal bickering. "That thing is not even working, anyways. What is Ted going to do with it now? None of us can pay for its repairs even with your 'private' jobs bringing in more money." Ted took off his shoes pondering the last statement spat out of R.J's mouth.

A boot fell too loudly which jerked the older man's attention to the still wet boy but Ted refused to make eye contact. R.J's feet found a plastic floor and Ted took the now unoccupied cushion next to him as EatR continued her half of the argument unaware that he had come in. "Don't you sneer at my work, boy. You were not complaining about it when we met. Oh, wait! You were too busy g-"

"He's home," R.J. called hurriedly to silence her tangent.

EatR's voice changed from mocking to curios in record timing, "How did it go Ted?"

R.J. answered when Ted just averted his gaze further from any life form. It settled instead on R.J.'s collection of mechanical fish. They bobbed cheerfully about the forty gallon tank. These were all sorts of colors and looked nothing like the ones the Once-ler had pictures of, those orange humming fish that grinned and danced and sang. How could the Once-ler have done this to all of those animals? How could have done this to all these people? Ted ached at the thought of his lover cutting down all of those trees for a profit. That much wood would be worth a fortune now. He wondered how much the Once-ler might have gotten from it. A pair of big nearly black eyes slid into his view. "I said, 'I want to hear it from Ted'! So how about it sweetie, do you think you might want to work with us?"

Ted blinked as EatR's girlie face blocked his view of the fish tank, "Huh? Oh, yeah, right. Sure, I will work wherever I can get a job."

"Great," She straightened, "See, told ya he wouldn't mind. Ted's a big boy now." Her smirk widened as she patted Ted on the head and sent R.J. a triumphant look. "Well I'm off to get ready for the show tonight. Adrian told me that he needed someone for the shift after yours. If Ted talks to him before The Tree opens tonight, he can probably snag a job." She winked with a chuckle cast over her shoulder before she opened the plastic door, "By the way, now I know why you never take any of the girls home." Her laughter followed her out into the chilly acidic rain.

"You are sure about this Ted? I do not want you getting into something you do not want to." R.J. glanced around now avoiding Ted's gaze. Was that a blush on his features?

"I want this," Ted said, feeling sure that he meant it. An hour later that resolve was tested. Adrian, it turned out, was a well-oiled head of blonde hair set atop a sort slim body. He was agreeable enough even though it seemed he was more interested in getting his office empty of visitors. What was even more shocking, though, was 'The Tree'. 'The Tree' was a nickname for a strip club on the outskirts of the city called the fun district; its real name was The Tree of Forbidden Fruit. R.J. was apparently a bouncer but the real surprise was that EatR was a stripper. Ted always wondered why some of the guys at the track treated her so strangely, now he had his answer. This was going to be the most interesting night of his life, the brunet resolved, taking a sip of his soda at the bar as the lights in the club dimmed and the first shift began.


	25. Mothers Day Special!

Disclaimer: I own none of this...

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><p>This whole day had been a complete and utter waste of time. It was not worth all of the precious seconds it held to make up its structure. The Once-ler sighed, ready to call it day as he laid a hand on his sleek green foreign car. It really was something if he said so himself. The paint was one of a kind in Thneedville. It was a deep green but instead of white highlights shining on the chassis there were pitch black shadows. Some weird scientific explanation about how color reacts to absorb and reflect light. All the Once-ler could remember was that it looked sexy. This color contrast only accentuated the soft dipping curves of the new model firebird. It had cost a fortune and had only escalated in value since he went under, but that price was chump change to him ever since he built up his business empire.<p>

The Once-ler climbed into the car to regard the building he was leaving behind. Rich marble pillars provided more than extravagant support for the golden domed roof. They also announced the allegiances of the owners to wealth and power. They now had sculptures depicting their largest patron. O'Hare stood tall and proud in newer marble than the rest of the columns, it was surely reconstructed when the Once-ler himself fell from power. The statue of O'Hare was much bigger than the man was said to be in person but he was as distant as ever. O'Hare had an extensive network of loyalties but even the most steadfast citizen was able to be bought out, the only question was whether the black and green lanky form desired the information enough to part with his vast resources. Even his fortune was not limitless. Still, regardless of the large number of greased palms, information about O'Hare's whereabouts was still as difficult as ever to come by. With his absence, the Once-ler had no more leads to Ted. The secretary had disappeared and no one in the city had a clue as to where she went. It was almost like she left the city but the Once-ler knew there was nothing out there left for her. She just disappeared with her car, like she was never there. What was worse was that Erin O'Hare, one of the Once-ler's most knowledgeable new allies, had not even heard of the boy. At least, she acted as though she did not. The Once-ler knew that she was still under the impression that she could lie to him and get away with it. He idly debated how long it might take the self-thought man-eater to realize that she had been defeated. She, like so many before her, had such an inflated inclination that she could best any opponent to come up against her. Too bad that notion was an illusion.

Long soft green fabric fingers tapped in mock impatience. The Once-ler debated putting to use his purchase of the day, a renewal of a vice he picked up long ago, in his prime, but declined the indulgence. He would reward himself when he found the kid or destroyed O'Hare. He sat back against the black leather interior of his vehicle. His plan had been running so smoothly at first but now there were just so many unknowns floating about. Where were all of those important players in the heat of the games? Where was the kid? Something tugged at his memory and he finally allowed himself to let the itch in the back of his mind surface. Why were the citizens of Thneedville reacting so bizarrely to his return to the city? Most had no idea who the Once-ler had been. Then others recognized the name or the look of him before showing extreme confusion. It was as though the city itself could not decide whether it remembered his era or shunned it out of existence. No matter how the citizens attempted to vanquish the memory, it was not going anywhere. Too much evidence remained of the sin. This idea was enough to elicit a chuckle from the black haired man as he shifted his car into drive. Still, so much to do.

The drive from the bank to his hotel was not a particularly lengthy one but The Once-ler detoured along a new path every drive to see more of his old domain. This time he drove blindly in the direction of brightly colored buildings he now knew were referred to MCD. This was the middle class's district, the place they lived, worked, and died. At first he was surprised at the evolution of the town segregating its districts into social classes but now it seemed a logical course of action. The city had taken well to one of nature's cardinal principals. Now only those willing to fight were successful. Some bright whimsical structures that the Once-ler vaguely recognized melted away to larger vibrant abominations that he could not place. They were all built up on well-manicured lawns of fake foliage. Unnatural plastic greens jarred blue eyes as they moved in to crash harshly against tomato reds and blues the Once-ler had only ever seen in paints. Yellows, pinks, oranges, and purples also sprouted out of the 'lawns' to create nauseating spectacles that proved a new era of human torture devices had dawned. Due to the too crisp colors, it took the driving man longer than usual to recognize what these structures purpose was. These were a chain of group homes for elder citizens of Thneedville. Out on the nearly iridescent patches of faux grass were people in wheel chairs, using walkers, and struggling with canes. Some were accompanied by help in varying colored scrubs while others trekked or sat in their own lonesome haze. This could have been him as he aged if he had never broken his promise to the walking moustache. No unwrinkled face appeared without a medical uniform beneath it. If he had not cut down all of those trees, he would be locked away in an emphasized solitude just as these folks were. At least he had chosen his banishment; these people had been cast aside by society as their usefulness faltered. Even those clumped together must realize that they were just a selective collection of the rejects the city had disposed of.

A slight cracking noise shocked the man from his reverie. He was clenching gloved fists around the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were popping. The Once-ler was unable to place this nearly overwhelming feeling he felt. These people were nothing to him, just as they were to everyone else. Why were they igniting this foreign emotion in him? He sped away causing many of the seniors to jump out of their stupor at the sharp high pitched sound of rubber screeching against the asphalt. He could not get away from that place fast enough. With no direction in mind, he allowed the car to choose its own route and soon found him being dragged to previously unexplored areas by late afternoon traffic. His driving slowed as roads became more congested and residential areas broke apart into vacation areas. Signs advertising skiing and swimming took over. The billboards came more frequently on this road but on oddity that caught the Once-ler's eye was a woman.

This woman gave him an uneasy feeling as he pulled over on the side of the road to peer curiously at her unseen. She was huddled right below a sign showing a go cart racing track. Her head of closely cropped white ringlets were dingy now, in a nearly browned tan color though the Once-ler knew they were truly gray. She was curled into herself in a defeated manner wearing a once peach dress and pumps. Her form was unmoving in the sludge puddle that covered most cement in the area. That strange feeling overcame the Once-ler again as he glared at her growing form. He gave a start when he found himself standing above her quivering body, not realizing that he even approached the woman until her was crouching over her. "Hey…" What was he supposed to say to the only hobo in the city?

Too familiar brown eyes looked up at him through free flowing tears. Her face trembled with a mixture of the cold, wet, and terror. Her pale chapped bleeding lips parted to allow a string of uncontrollable hacking to escape the depths of her lungs as her body vainly tried to rid itself of toxins taken in on the streets. Tears threatened to escape blue-gray eyes as they took in an older female semblance of their lover. It was apparent that the woman was trying to speak to him but her ruined body was incapable of the task. He collected her from the unforgiving carpet of brownish-gray-green sludge to usher her grimy body into his pristine firebird. A myriad of coughing and grunted out incomprehensible words made up the soundtrack to his race to the hospital.

What might have been a long wait was cut down by an axe of green bills. Money thrown around soon had Helen Wiggins back to nearly perfect health despite a small rasp that the Once-ler was assured would disappear in a few short days. She was a lively lass, he determined in the longer than necessary drive back to the hotel, under her direction of course. As she spoke about how lovely the city was and her fondest memories about any spot really, all doubt about this woman being related to Ted died away. Some of his more subdued mannerisms shone through when she braked from her wild outbursts that seemed to take up most of her speech. The way her eyes lit up reminded the Once-ler of the morning he served Ted pancakes. Both Wiggins showed this same unquenchable joy at such simple things. For Ted those were food apparently, but for his mother, it was the boy. She spoke fondly of his childhood, of aspirations, and how he was the most celebrated guest to ever arrive at her community home. Sometimes she got quite after mentioning the group living compartments but others she seemed to think that was where they were headed. The Once-ler did not need to wonder about this woman losing her sharpness with age.

Raised eyebrows were all the pair got as they entered the ornate hotel, no objections. Her state of advance filth was note definitely but he was such a distinguished guest that no one had the courage to speak up about it. She was positively giddy about being in such a lavish environment that her constant chatter made a green hatted head ponder if her full voice would overwhelm the already raspy ranting filled space. They entered the elevator and praise of the interior of the previously inaccessible building continued up all the way to the top floor much to the dismay of another pair of guests, an older woman and her fit youthful companion. Dreamy comments about the aviary made the jeweled woman roll her eyes as her tight jeaned companion arched an eyebrow. Apparently, these two did not know how to recognize fine company when they saw it. Just a few floors after the two judging people left the elevator, the Once-ler gestured his guest into the penthouse.

There were still quite a few daylight hours but the black haired man directed the elderly woman to the marble tub intending her to bathe and rest for the rest of the day and quite possibly the night. She, on the other hand, had other plans. Her energetic voice filled the rooms with echoes of life much more realistically vibrant than the colors in MCD. "He had such a huge crush on her. I thought she broke his heart when the announcement came onto the television and he stopped showing up for visits. But then he did show up. Yes he did! He showed up and I knew he was going to be alright. He showed up better than ever! Yes he did," The Once-ler was not surprised that Ted was interested in a girl before the two of them became involved. What did surprise him, however, was that he had liked the same girl since he was a child. She continued talking about her son's pitiful love life as she dried a now snowy mess of curls wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe. "I thought it was love. We all did! But that girl wanted something more than love. She wanted a tree of all things and for a time, Ted was determined to get her one. He even left the city once looking for one because of Mom. Could you imagine, leaving the city to look for something as ridiculous as a tree? Oh, but Mom believed! She went on and on-"

"Excuse me, did you say trees?" Ted had come to him as a child to woo his love and he had denied him.

"Oh, yes! Ted left Thneedville and everything. Plastic knows what he found out there but he got in so much trouble that there was no way he could get out again. I saw to that!" How could this woman be so proud to ruin her son's chances with the girl he loved? How could she be so proud of denying the town the possibility of new trees? How could Helen be so proud of keeping Ted away from the Once-ler all those years ago?

The proud woman sipped her tea and began sorting medicines to assist her certain recovery, oblivious to the stunned man beside her.

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><p>No proofreading again. Happy Mother's day! ^.^<p> 


	26. Missing Mommy

Disclaimer: I do not own the movie or book. Warning for Ted's language again... Man Helen, get on that boy for his tongue!

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><p>Transporting packages on a motorcycle with two passengers was an interesting feat, Ted realized as he zipped through the city's streets on the back of a black and acid green bike. Hunkling ate up ground smoothly under his master, EatR's guidance. The cycle was qick enough to have already arrived at its destination with its burden but the female driver kept slowing down or double tracking to allow the other driver to catch up. It was difficult to tell whether the deep growl behind the pair on Hunkling came from Atlas or his master. The Titan may have been discouraged by the slimmer model skimming through tight gaps in traffic far out of its reach but the huge man atop it was fuming at the agility of the smaller racer. R.J. could rival, if not best, EatR at every turn in races on the uninhabited tracks of downtown Thneedville, but here on streets laden with traffic, his Titan was clearly at a disadvantage. What had started as a friendly jest of a race to Mid-city turned into a vicious shameful speeding through the city for the trio. Ted felt odd, wrapped around the middle of his friend that he just discovered was a stripper with a large container of cookies sandwiched between their bodies.<p>

The making of those homemade confections proved to be an embarrassment filled trial all its own. The task was peppered with judgmental snickers from R.J., who had his bulk situated at the kitchen table as he stuffed himself with extra raw cookie dough and a few baked morsels with still gooey chocolate chips and crude comments from EatR about how he would make a special man very happy one day with his amazing kitchen skills. Her smile only grew broader when she noticed her comments brought about a deep red flush across Ted's cheeks. She took far too much pleasure at the two men's discomfort at her teasing as she popped a couple freshly made goodies into her mouth as well. It made Ted wonder if she could tell that he was recently interested in a guy. Did he smell funny or something? Ted was certain that his walk had returned to normal before anyone could notice the pounding his ass had taken. EatR must have some sort of gay detecting powers, maybe developed in her career of stripping for men ready to tear anything with a hole to shreds.

Ted buried his face in her sweetly scented hair. Something they called a strawberry smell almost always surrounded her when she was not at 'The Tree', it was one of those scents left over from when plants were still around. Every year those scents seemed to change just slightly as makers tried to remember how the real thing actually smelled but no one had ever really sniffed a strawberry that could be found alive in the city. Still, Ted loved the smell. It reminded him of his spunky friend from the tracks. Ted allowed himself to become immersed in the sensations of the ride rather than dwelling on his most recent love issues. The false scent of strawberries took him into a land of feeble rumbling and swaying to the beat of Hunkling's soft purring as EatR danced through traffic to reach the destination. Her body was sure next to his, certain of every dip and veer it made on the bike. Ted was almost envious of her graceful moves on her motorcycle but he knew that such a feeling would be unwarranted. He had beaten her on the tracks as many times as she had him. Their styles may differ but the connections with their cycles were identical in nature. Both reveled in the rush of riding as surely as R.J. did. All three were only truly perfectly them when on those bikes.

"Ted!" The brunet boy gave a start out of his strawberry scented haze when EatR called back to him on her now motionless Hunkling. Blushing, he released her in a rush that almost cost him the large plastic container of baked goods. He was off the bike in record time to be chased into Thneed's Embrace by boisterous laughter from his friends. Homicidal thoughts were murdered nearly as quickly as they came to life because as soon as the young man entered the threshold of the group home, a swarm of older women crowded around Ted to relieve him of his cookies and give him an endless amount of greetings ranging from hugs and kisses to inquiries about his ever depressing love life. They seemed to think of his life as some never ending tragedy since Audrey's engagement became common knowledge.

His smile came naturally but progressively became more forced as a bed of white ringlets eluded his gaze. Where was she? He excused himself from the crowd of age worn bodies to saunter to the main desk of the facility. "Excuse me. Hello ma'am. My name's Ted Wiggins. I'm looking for my mom, Helen Wiggins. W-I-G-G-"

"I can spell Wiggins sir," The woman began tapping away at her keyboard with two inch long red fake nailed fingers. She was one of the mid-city denizens who bordered on freak status with her looks. Her lips were the same unholy shade of fire truck red as her nails which looked plain strange against her tanned complexion. On her lids was a bright peach hue that matched her scrubs precisely. After a few very exaggerated moments of the click of keys and plastic nails the nearly leather skinned woman turned back to Ted to say, "It seems your mother's stay has been terminated by order of the owners." She smiled in what must have been an attempt at a consoling way but the effort was wasted on the young man.

"Terminated?" The word did not seem to have a meaning to Ted at first. The baked woman did not even have a chance to clarify when understanding materialized in the brown haired head. He heard his own voice though his confusion. "But I paid. We got the money in on time. I paid." Ted's words faltered at the end in his shock.

She seemed taken aback by his reaction but responded, "Yes, the termination wasn't caused by failure to make payments but in the form of the funds received. It seems as though your sort of business is not welcome here. This institution doesn't take lightly to your line of work."

"But… I paid…" Was the utterly broken response from the boy.

"Look kid. The proprietor does not want business with customers in professions like yours." Her sunned face pulled tight in an uneasy expression as R.J. and EatR approached the desk on either side of Ted. R.J. seemed almost angry as he crossed his arms over his large mass of bulk while EatR pursed her lips in a confused expression her face wore very well.

"But I paid," Ted said in a voice like shattered glass. His new job, for the first time, seemed like a bad idea.

Luckily, R.J. was there to pick up the slack where Ted's grip on reality loosened. "How long ago? When did you kick her out onto the streets?" That was right, Ted realized, he had not visited his mother for nearly a week because he was busy working in that time. She could have died in the time since her release. How long would it take for the pollution to kill now a days? Ted estimated two days could kill someone of his health on the streets. His mother might have a day.

"Oh no," EatR whined as tears fell freely from her large nearly black eyes to create grayish streaks down her round countenance. Ted stole a glance at R.J. who looked no better despite his lack of waterworks. Ted could not breathe. His throat was clenched in on itself costing him precious air. How long ad his mother gone without air?

"How long?" He asked as soon as he realized she had answered while his mind was still checked out. The woman shook her head in denial of giving him an answer he wanted. "In the name of all the plastic in Thneedville, tell me how long Mom has been out there!" Everything was quiet after his outburst. The response was no more than a whimper but Ted would have had to be deaf not to hear it. He did not just hear the words but he felt them as well resonating in his core, he saw them mouthed on those inhumanly red lips, and he smelt them in the salty tears that streamed from his frightened eyes. Four days the woman had said. Ted's mother had been out on the streets for four days.

He barely registered leaving his mother's old home, Thneed's Embrace. The race around the city to every morgue did not have a place in his mind either. Not one funeral home had housed a Helen Wiggins in the past week, there were not even any unidentified women found. Next were the hospitals, and on the third stop at The Lakes Reprieve Hospital, there was word. Helen Wiggins had been brought in a day ago by some tall wealthy young man that none of the employees caught the name of. Ted did not need the name though. The description was enough: tall, slender, remarkable blue eyes, feathery black hair, green and black suit and hat, and a charmingly handsome round face. His mother was with the Once-ler. A glimmer of recognition crossed EatR's face as well but she merely insisted that Helen was in good enough hands until tomorrow. She coaxed the men into going into work with the idea that they may even get a clue as to where this strange man lives.

The first shift, like always, belonged to R.J. so Ted accompanied EatR to her dressing room because she wanted help getting ready for the show. She locked the pair into the closet like room before pushing Ted down into the only chair in front of a well-lighted mirror. She leaned against the door to stare him down with her pursed lips. Ted had no idea what to expect in this encounter with his friend but what she said surprised him. "Do you love him?" She seemed serious enough and though Ted was incapable of reading minds, he knew who she was referring to.

Still, the word came out of him whether he wanted it to or not, "Who?" A loud cracking noise ensued and sent colorful streams of light to dance across his face with the jolt of pain. EatR had slapped him! "What the fuck, EatR?"

"The Once-ler, do you love him, yes or no?" She was so upfront about this. In the past couple of years Ted knew her, she always pranced around topics in a decidedly feminine fashion but with this there was no fancy footwork.

Ted gaped at her, this woman he had never seen before. She was a stripper who could slap him rightly and demand answers from him. He thought back to the past week or so, he had lied to her and R.J. far too many times. His pretending that he had never fallen for the Once-ler and practically run away to him was unfair to them. They were the ones helping him pick up the pieces of his fractured life. He had to come clean to her, but how would she take it? "Yes," Ted watched his friend slid down the door to rest on her heels. "I'm sorry," Her dark curls bounce when her head shot up regard him with wide eyes before her full lips spread outward into an endearing smile.

"Oh Ted, love is something you should never have to apologize for." Her right hand found that worn out old rope around her left wrist as she spoke, "At least, love is something you never have to apologize to me for. Nearly black eyes glistened with unshed tears as the woman chuckled at something Ted could not figure out. It looked like EatR had a long long tale that Ted was just going to have to shut up and listen to.

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><p>Lethargy has taken over so no editing for you! It shall be done eventually... Reuniting coming up, maybe not in the way that everyone is expecting though... 3 Hope you enjoy! New questions will be answered at the end of the next chapter so if you have any then be sure to submit them and please! NO ASKING IF TED AND ONCIE ARE GAY! DX<p> 


	27. Searching for Love

Disclaimer: I still do not own the Lorax in any way... This may have some bad language...

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><p>Blue eyes playfully skimmed over soft white soapy fluff while the mouth attached to their face spread in a wide grin. For some reason, the Once-ler could not shake the unbelievably good feeling he had about today. Last night held one of the strangest dreams of his life but he could not shake the excited feelings it left scurrying under his naked skin. He actually giggled as he played with his bubbly canvas over the warm soothing water he was laying in. The water had some weird mock rose scent to it that took the Once-ler no less than a half an hour to place. It was certainly a pleasant smell but it was nothing like a real rose. The blue eyes closed peacefully as he let his lanky form slip nearly entirely into the sudsy water. This was how baths were meant to be.<p>

"Oh, you're up. Wonderful! I made breakfast," Chirped a too cheery voice from behind the Once-ler. He thrashed about in the water, spilling the bubbles over all the sides until he was facing the strange woman, poised to flee. It was not a dream. He really did pick up Ted's mom yesterday. Her brown eyes that were so much like the Once-ler's lover trailed down the man's slender body. The Once-ler thought his face may burn off when he realized just how exposed he was to this woman's exploring eyes. She laughed in a matronly way, like a child in her care had done something so silly than it would be the subject of jokes for the rest of that poor kid's life. "Don't worry boy, it is nothing I have not seen before. I have a son, you know? Oh Ted, I wonder if he will be joining us for breakfast," Her voice continued to sing out about Ted behind her as she left the Once-ler to his nudity induced shame.

Spurred on by an interest of what information he could pump the woman for, the Once-ler climbed out of the gold rimmed bath tub to towel off and dress in a newly dry-cleaned green suit. He paused for a moment before a filigree lined mirror to compose himself but it seemed that the action was entirely unnecessary for Mrs. Wiggins chose this moment to check back in on his progress. She giggled at his supposed vanity, "Now, now boy. You look as pretty as can be so come on then." She gestured him towards the exit of the bathroom and he gulped. How was it that a senile old woman had the most powerful man available in the city jumping at every turn? "I can remember when my boy used to preen. Men always take their time getting ready when they are looking to impress someone special. Who are you looking to woo?" Her laughter turned nearly to a witchlike cackle at the Once-ler's expense. Her humor was not the only thing at the young man's expense, apparently making breakfast consisted of picking up a phone and dialing room service to order a plethora of foods.

The Once-ler sat with the woman at a glass topped wooden table. In his short stay in the city he learned why so much wood was in more lavish places. Wood was even more valuable than gold now because it was less abundant. After all the trees had gone, it did not take much longer for the wood to as well. It made sense when he thought about it. Everything in this city was now plastic or metal with the occasional stonework. Helen did not seem to pay anything expensive much mind though. Her thoughts never seemed to be on how much anything costs, only on what its worth is to her. She had spent more than an hour the night before trying to find the 'hidden people' she knew the Once-ler must be housing in these expansive rooms. She determined that two guests in these rooms were far too little people in such a large space and refused to sleep until she knew just who else would be in the rooms with her. Once it was decided they were alone, she settled down but it certainly was a lot of work to get the woman to go to sleep.

Pancakes, hash browns, eggs, bacon and fruit found its way onto the Once-ler's plate without his assistance. A small bowl of cheesy grits even joined his place setting with a wine glass filled with orange juice. Both guests knew that these foods were made of some sort of jelly or custardy like substance at heart but it did not make the foods any less rich in taste. The Once-ler did not need to wonder how someone could make that thick of bacon slices translucent. The stuff bounced nearly the height from which it was dropped. Helen Wiggins was not a woman to waste much time with trivial things such as eating though. No, every moment had to be filled with chatter about whatever topic her scattered mind chose that moment. "So, who is it that you are trying to impress today? I truly hope it is not me. No sir! I have been off the market far too long to get involved with someone like you." Helen accompanied her speech with a careful patting of her clean white curls. "So who is the lucky person?" Person, why did she keep saying that? Did this senile woman know that he was interested in men? The blue eyed man could merely stammer an unintelligible response before she was back on to her loopy rambling. "Oh, don't even bother boy. I already know. It is so obvious, I knew before I even got into the car. So what are your plans? I could tell you what my plans would be. Yes I could! But my plans are not nearly what yours might be. Flowers may not be the way to go for this one. Food! Yes, food is the way to go. I know how to bake some things that could get anyone to say I do, surely your love interest. I mean-"

He could not take it anymore. He had to cut off the woman and get to the bottom of exactly what she was suggesting. "Excuse me Helen, you know?" Who could this woman possibly think he liked? She had not seen him interact with any one yesterday that was not associated with the hospital.

"Of course boy!" She leaned over the table to give his black haired head a brisk tap before continuing. "Am I here so you can ask permission to propose? That would be so sweet, you asking my blessing and all."

"Excuse me, who exactly would I be proposing to?"

"Why Ted, of course! I mean really. You hardly show anyone else any interest at all. Your eyes even light up when his name is mentioned. I think it's love!" The white haired woman spoke with a breathless sort of dreamy voice. "So are you going to ask my permission?" The Once-ler was trying to decide whether this woman knew the gender of her own child. Sure, she had said he was her son a million times but did she really know this fact? She seemed fine with the idea of her son marrying a man, maybe the promise of money won her out. She continued on without any help from the Once-ler. "As I said, I have the perfect recipe to get Ted to agree to anything." This woman really was willing to help a stranger trick her son into marriage!

"Helen Wiggins," The Once-ler began quietly but it was more than enough to get her attention. "May I ask for your son, Ted Wiggins', hand in marriage?" The question seemed utterly ridiculous to the Once-ler but it felt right. Helen had suggested it, and he was merely indulging the older woman.

She giggled in response, "Yes! Of course you have my permission to marry Ted. Silly boy, like you even had to ask." She continued on about sweets to woo Ted until the end of the meal when the Once-ler suggested they go out to find Ted. Driving with the woman was just as difficult today as it was the night before and at one point, the firebird almost got hit by a speeding giant on an enormous green motorcycle. Eventually they made it to Ted's house though- or what once was Ted's apartment. Eviction notices littered the front door and stoop. Each one sent new pangs of worry into the Once-ler's heart. Helen on the other hand seemed confused but unperturbed insisting that nothing could keep her son down for long. The Once-ler was his own guide back to the hotel as the brown eyed woman mumbled to herself in a daze. Evidently, she was not as unworried as she would have him believe.

Back at the hotel, the Once-ler paced the wooden flooring of the entryway to the penthouse suite. He was running out of options now. No one, not even Ted's mom, knew where to find the kid. After a time his eternal trek was ended by Ted's mother saying something he had not thought of. "I wonder if his friends would know where he went. It is getting a bit late to visit Audrey, poor dear's been quite sick, but I bet that little girl from the tracks might know when Ted's next race is." The Once-ler was almost sure that after he heard about Ted crashing in a race, the kid would not be on the tracks again for some time, but any lead was better than none. He needed to be doing something. So he coaxed more information out of the woman. "Oh EatR's normal hours at work are probably just starting. I can give you directions but I do not think I am up for going back to that part of town just yet. We went for Hen's birthday about a year ago and that is how I found out about her. Too bad her full name has been tainted by work. Eterna really is quite a lovely name." Eterna! Eterna was one of Ted's friends all along and she did not say anything! Maybe the kid did not want to see him again. He may have wanted what they had but it seemed that time had definitely passed. Still, it would only be polite to let the kid know where his mother was.

These directions were surprisingly easy to follow. They led straight into the fun district of the city and to a club named The Tree of Forbidden Fruit. The building was rundown in appearance but the longer the Once-ler stood before it, the more patrons that entered. It was doing well in its business. Two heavily muscled men stood at the entrance joking and greeting regular visitors, one was of average height, shorter than the Once-ler but the other was practically a giant. Fake trees lined the entrance with glowing balls on them the Once-ler supposed represented fruit. What kind of club did Eterna work at? Well, she was a whore…

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><p>Still too lazy to edit... Maybe I should get me a beta...<p>

Question box time! First question, what is up with EatR's bracelet? She associates it with love. ^.^ Are EatR and Eterna the same person? Really? Really? Yeah, they are the same... What did the Once-ler grab from his office like ten chapters ago? Well he did pick up some money, a suit, and grabbed his firebird from the building. He also got the key to his safety deposit box. No seeds though guys... Sorry...v.v Next! Are Oncie and Ted gay? ...*uncontrollable eye twitching* That is it! I give up! Everyone, you have Zara to thank for me not continuing this fic, go thank her please. ^.^ So... No more chapters. See you guys later!


	28. The Tree of Forbidden Fruit

Disclaimer: I disclaim stuff.

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><p>With a deep breath, the Once-ler passed the two men on guard to enter the dimly lit club. The enormous man examined him closely as he ventured inward and he wondered if he would be stopped. A soft, nearly nonexistent bass rumbled below to clamor of people ordering drinks and settling in. Ten skimpily clad people stood on long table like stages and in suspended cages undulating to the low music. The women in lingerie greatly outnumbered the men but there were male dancers here surrounded by women willing to pay to see more of what their toned bodies could do. Everything about the lax vibe in this place screamed that a real show was about to start. The green clad man approached the main stage and pretended not to notice as a group of rowdy men demurely opened a hole for him to sit right where the action would be taking place. These seemed to be a collection of men who worked with their hands outdoors and those who worked behind a desk all day. They continued their odd behavior by quieting down while sending cautious glances in the direction of the Once-ler. The woman in front of the Once-ler gave a brisk continual shimmy that earned her a few halfhearted whoops as she backed away from the edge and all the lights shut off to begin a ritual chanting from the crowd, "E-ter-na! E-ter-na! E-ter-na!" This could be heard from all directions in a hushed whisper from both men and women causing the Once-ler to wonder what could possibly be so interesting about her dance. Stripping was stripping, wasn't it?<p>

A single bright spotlight shone down on a now empty stage and everyone gasped as blue eyes searched frantically for the object of their attention. A moving shadow cast onto the stage drew the Once-ler gaze upwards to trail up past long thick streamers of ebony fabric up to a gorgeous woman extravagantly draped in a gown of flowing green silk. Eterna looked so much like a tiny porcelain doll up on a stage in the rafters of the building. She waved delicately to the audience who were still chanting her name with a smile so perfect it could have been carved into her full lips. She was a doll carefully perched up on her shelf for everyone to see. She reached up with one hand to snag the green silk on spike in a support beam and stepped off of the platform supporting her. Silence reigned from the crowd for the entirety of her descent but an elegant song of orchestra music set the mood. Her body twisted and turned in ways that the Once-ler had never witnessed as it gracefully unraveled from the folds of fabric allowing her slow fall. As her body entwined itself with the black hanging streamers it was ridded of its outer garments exposing a nearly glowing flawless body of sunny olive skin. Halfway down to the stage, it was evident that more layers of clothing were on her body than just that gown but still, the black revealing clothing framed her body's beauty wonderfully. Still, she continued the nearly contortionist show as the black silk slid around her arms and legs and the last of the green dress came loose from the equally smooth surface of her leg. Her bare feet landed gracefully on the stage poised as if in high heels and she stood still as a statue, eyes closed with a serene look on her face, waves of curled black hair framing her doll like features. There was complete silence, the Once-ler noted that the music had ended and not a soul in the building was daring enough to so much as breathe.

A single thump of a drum could be heard and Eterna's hip jutted out with it as if it came from her body, that same expression gracing her feminine features. Music began to play full swing, the sort of bass dominated stuff that was expected in a club which snapped Eterna's dark eyes open with a roar from the crowds as other dancers took the stage as well to move seductively with the beat. Her new outfit was in a shiny black material that the Once-ler could not place. It clung to every curve it covered as though it was a part of her skin. Just a short skirt and button up shirt that could never make it to her midriff accompanied by long ebony gloves that reached just above her elbows. The other dancers wore similar out fits only varying to include a pitch black fedora and the men wore shorts. Eterna was the only one to go bare foot on the glittery floor but it did not hinder her in the least. Her body gyrated and twisted into spectacular bends on tip toes with ease. She struck poses with the music changes that earned money to pool where ever her feet struck the floor leaving trails of bills all up and down the stage to be collected after the show. Just a few feet from the Once-ler, Eterna paused in her journey on the side of the stage to give a generous guest a more personal show. This man had other ideas and grabbed her bare legs to pull the startled girl from the stage.

Outraged, the Once-ler climbed over other patrons to scold the work filthy man still harassing the bulging eyed girl. "Stop that, let her go!" He yelled over the music starting a bit of a struggle with the man to get her foot released just as the larger bouncer approached the tussle. "Don't you touch Eterna, you vile scum!" He exclaimed pulling back an arm to slam a fist into the lower class man. His arm was caught though and no amount of thrashing could release it from the giant man's hard grip as Eterna screamed.

Her voice squealed. "R.J. let go of the Once-ler, he was just trying to protect me!" She was throwing herself into the brawl now, trying to separate the men.

Recognition flashed in the bouncer, R.J.'s, eyes and his massive arm drew back to strike. This punch hit, right on the left side of the green clad man's face. Again and again the pain bloomed all over as it spread a full garden of liquid red flowers that smelled of metal. The giant raved as he pummeled the blue eyed man, "How dare you so much as look at EatR, you tree killing bastard!" The lanky man resisted with the help of the dark eyed stripper but the enormous man continued as if he were unhindered until he was eventually wrenched off of the Once-ler by a very familiar young man who promptly decked the bouncer.

Ted was seething but said nothing to the stunned man as he turned his red face to his lover. A look the Once-ler had never seen on the boy clouded his brown eyes as he reached out to help the green suited man to his feet. A smile forced its way onto the black haired man's sore and already swelling face but was wiped off immediately as a new smaller fist made contact with his head. Why did everyone here have to be right handed fighters? Sparks flew across the vision of the blue eyed man as he crumpled back to the floor not even registering all of the yells from the owner of the place. Evidently Ted had hit him very hard because words all blended together into a loud muffled mass that seemed to cover his vision in layers of black cotton. More and more layers of soft blackness were piled on to obscure his vision and hearing until the only thing he could sense was his bloody pain. The pain of his face's brutal beating was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. Ted definitely was not interested in a relationship with him.

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><p>See? You guys are not the only ones who can troll. Syco can troll with the best of them. I just wanted these two to come out together but not be in the same chapter. This story will be continued to the end. ^.^ 3<p> 


	29. Waking Up

Disclaimer: I am not the creator of "The Lorax". If you cannot tell, I am not THAT good with poetry.

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><p>Ted's breathing came in uneasy gasps as he picked up his lover and by Adrian's order took him away from the club. Keys were quickly handed over as well as precise instructions to a house just a few blocks further into downtown. The brunet felt his eyes burn as he loaded up the vehicle and no amount of convincing could fool him into believing that the forming tears were caused by tainted air. Once comfortably seated in the driver's seat of the expensive firebird, Ted glanced back at his unconscious lover sprawled on the supple black leather of the bench seat in the back of the car. Once-ler looked peaceful despite the bloodied and bruised countenance of his lax face. His soft black locks that Ted now knew by touch fell gracefully across the forehead of the content appearing round face. Ted wanted so bad to just reach out and feel that brutally marred skin but he knew there would be plenty of time for that when he reached his destination. The directions were easy enough to follow especially after a lifetime of listening to his mother and grandmother's ramblings.<p>

As he pulled away from 'The Tree' he reminded himself that Once-ler was safe and that he was going to be okay. That was what R.J. had said in any case. Not even enough to put him out for long but it would leave him with quite a headache upon awakening. The boy could not decide if it was his intention to hurt him or not. Taking out his frustration in one good punch seemed to give him clarity that he would not have had any other way. Streets came and went easily on broken up cement roads. In his new found lucidity, everything came much more easily. The sports car slipped effortlessly down these roads and before long slid to a coasting stop in the horseshoe driveway of the apartment complex indicated by the address R.J. gave to Ted. The building was nice, meaning it was less rundown than other buildings in this district. Ted quickly emptied the vehicle of bodies before dragging his lover across the shiny tinsel grass lawn. Ancient modeled trees still stood proud all around this building showing that things not only survived here but did so well. Ted kept that concept and what R.J. told him about Once-ler in mind as he slid the brass key into its mate and entered his new surroundings thanking the founder of plastic that EatR had a first floor apartment.

Ted's resolution dissolved. Ever since he witnessed Once-ler's eyes roll back into his head, Ted had thought of nothing else but his desire to help the blue eyed man and pump him for information later. But what he saw shocked him. The place was clean. He had not seen a place that looked quite like this since his childhood. Sure, it smelled vaguely like the air outside, Ted mused while pulling the door shut behind him and locking it securely, but it was an undeniably clean apartment that felt like home. It was less impersonal than Once-ler's house even. Ted deposited Once-ler onto a pretty forest green sofa in the white carpeted living room before opening every door in the place to find a bathroom and bedroom. There were two bedrooms it seemed. One done up in green cotton feeling fabrics and the other with rich reds in silks and such. The red bedded room was all in reds in whites with a bathroom off of it and empty drawers in both dressers and an unlabeled box in the closet that Ted deemed not important enough to go through. This place was all spotless like the rest of the apartment but compared to the room clad in greens, it was incredibly impersonal. It had a couple of pictures, most with EatR herself with girls from the club and others that Ted did not recognize but they did not reflect the hominess in the rest of the dwelling. Ted went to check out the other room before settling for this one and was surprised to find pictures of him in it. This room had drawers filled with feminine possessions and a closet nearly overflowing with EatR's clothes. These pictures varied much more than in the other room. There were photographs from the tracks and Rose's parties. Ted found his own smiling face in many of them. Sometimes it was just him but there were others with EatR, Wes, Rose, Dan, Tell, Kiss, and all sorts of people from the tracks and around the city that she knew but not one had R.J. in it. Maybe she had a smiling picture only policy, Rose said she had one of those and thus only had one shot of R.J. in her collection, but Ted saw many shots with straight or frowning fces. He did not dwell on this long. He knew that he needed to move Once-ler to the red sheeted bedroom because putting him anywhere else felt to be too much of a violation of the woman's privacy. Ted snagged a face cloth from below the 'guest' bathroom sink and wet it to bring it back to his prone lover.

This was the first really good look he got of his lover since the hit. Everything after until now felt like a blur, like some sort of dream. Ted touched the once smooth skin and winced at the pain Once-ler had to have felt. As he cleaned the small cut on the lanky man's brow, which was the cause of all of the blood on the man's face it seemed, he tried to get his story straight. Ted still was not entirely sure why he hit Once-ler and he knew that the older man would want an explanation upon awakening. The brunet left the damp soiled cloth on the small cut as went back into the bathroom to retrieve more supplies. He had to make a trip to EatR's bathroom to find a first aid kit but soon he had everything he needed. Once back at Once-ler's side on the couch, he removed the cloth amazed at how little the wound was bleeding. In his experience, cuts on the face seemed to bleed more than just about anything else but this one was barely beading blood now; it almost seemed smaller than before too. Even the bruises looked like they were healing but it must have just been the lighting that made them look so bad before.

Ted wadded up some gauze and covered the opening of the disinfectant with it before turning the whole thing upside down and bringing the cold wet material to the unconscious man's face. He only dabbed the cut once before jolting back as blue-grey eyes shot open. "Ow," Once-ler's hand shot to his face as he lunged back away from Ted. "That burns!" His face was painted with too many emotions for Ted to count: pain, fear, surprise, confusion, but for some reason betrayal could not be found in the mix.

"It's disinfectant. It should help clean your cuts so they don't get infected when we bandage them up," Ted explained calmly, glad that there was something for him to talk about with this man before he had to explain himself. Whatever time he could buy before his lover started questioning him, he would take gladly.

Blue gray eyes widened, "You're helping me…?" It was hardly a question the way the Once-ler asked it. Now all Ted could see in the man was a mix of awe, happiness, hope, and still more confusion.

Ted bit back a smile, knowing exactly how to clear a few things up. "You're old." His statement held no emotion but had the desired effect and the Once-ler's eyes widened further in confusion.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Ted grinned slyly making the other man scoot a bit further down the sofa from him. The boy did his best old man Once-ler impression when answering, "Oh, I thought we were just pointing out the obvious." The recognition on the Once-ler's face barely had time enough to be noticed before it was covered by Ted's face. The Once-ler was tense, Ted noticed, when the kiss began but after a few tentative caresses of his arms the man began to relax and respond to the boy's softly moving lips. There was no fire in this kiss but it was something Ted needed. He needed to know that this man below him would kiss him back, would take him back. Slim fingers slid up the back of Ted's shirt to explore then smooth skinned muscles of his back as a tongue he was fairly acquainted found its way into his mouth. Taste, smell, and touch overwhelmed the teenager and was nearly overpowering him when he remembered there were other things that needed doing with this man. Regrettably he pulled away putting a commanding finger that still coolly tingling with disinfectant on his lover's lips. "Wait. We need to talk."

"The five worst words ever uttered in the English language, I'm sure everyone can agree." The Once-ler responded, averting his eyes to focus on the surroundings other than the young man sitting on his lap.

Ted ran gentle fingers along the other man's sides before closing the gap between their lips again hoping that maybe the other man would eventually get the message. When the two parted, the Once-ler was all but scowling at Ted who now wondered if any of this was a good idea. At least now he knew that at the worst he could deck the man and put him back out again though that may be a bit awkward from his lap. With that thought in mind he climbed down from his perch on the thin man's hips. Now Once-lers features decided to soften into a look of disappointment and worry.

"Sorry kid," Ted could hear the pain in the other man's voice and saw him bend over to place his head in his hands. Ted stood and moved back to the doorway as his lover groaned. He picked up the keys to the firebird and tossed them to land with a clink on the sofa cushion he had just vacated. "You're leaving?" Alarm sounded odd in that groaned out voice as the Once-ler scowled up at him standing in the foyer.

"You can stay here as long as you want. Just lock up before you leave or EatR may get mad," Ted answered trying to hide any emotion in his voice. He seemed to do that a lot around this man.

Another groan erupted from behind him as he opened the door, "Do you know if she has any pain medicine?" Ted closed the door again and turned back to the bruised man. That was not a scowl on his face, he was in pain. Ted walked into the kitchen finding a glass with ease but checking what seemed like every cabinet twice before procuring medicine. He filled the glass with nearly pristine water from the filter EatR was lucky enough to have before bringing it all back to the man still sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "Thanks," The Once-ler uttered before downing the drugs and gulping down his drink. "So, whatever happened to that talking thing you mentioned earlier?" Hope was there again incapable of hiding just in those words.

Ted could not help himself when he answered the man. "Talking can wait a bit. Do you know the best cure for headaches?" Blue eyes locked with brown curiously. Ted had the man hooked with the promise of his headache disappearing. He would not give up the information though until asked.

There was a barely audible sigh from the Once-ler. He was probably actually trying to think of the answer before he spoke up, "It would not happen to be more medicine, would it?" Ted's grin seemed capable literally splitting his face in half as he shook his head, signaling that was not the correct answer.

"Even better."

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><p>Hey guys. ^.^; Sorry for the long wait on this one. I was not entirely sure how this encounter was going to turn out. If anyone comes back to read this, I would love to hear if anyone knows what is a good headache cure. I learned about it in anatomy classes, oddly enough and tested it to be pretty accurate. Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I cannot believe that I am so close to getting one hundred reviews on my FIRST fanfiction. Thank you. Thank you so very much everyone!<p> 


	30. Curing Headaches With Mirrors

I do not own any part of the Lorax... This is one of those really rated M chapters. All bad things will be surrounded by the MMM thingies I have established but really, this one could just be skipped by the squeamish...

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><p>The Once-ler had no idea what he expected to endure upon awakening but this certainly was not it. He had awoken to that horrible assault of alcohol on his face that caused him to wonder if the boy was indeed trying to help him or if this was still more of the kid's way of punishing the man. The encounter began painful and confusing enough but the whole thing was not so. There was one severely passionate kiss that made an honest attempt but that was about it for the romance. Ted seemed to be at war with himself ever since that first kiss between them. He wanted to talk but didn't. He wanted to make out but didn't. He wanted to leave but didn't. And now they were discussing some miracle cure to headaches? All the Once-ler really wanted to do was lie back down and go to sleep but the kid had promised him something better than medicine and he could admit; he was intrigued. "And what, pray tell, is better than painkillers now?" Ted's continuous grin did nothing to calm his lover's nerves as they stared each other down.<p>

Ted picked up a bandage before he approached the wary man sitting back on the green furniture. He seemed less at ease here than he had at his own home but Ted could not blame him for that. How many years had it been since he was even in the city? The damp cloth was brought to the slender man's face once more to wipe away the small amount of fresh blood that had begun to congeal there. Ted wondered whether the thing had been fully cleaned the last time he did this before smoothing the adhesive medical strip over his lover's forehead. Blue grey eyes were still distant so Ted brought it upon himself to fix his Oncie's booboo properly. "Mwa!" The overly exaggerated kissing noise popped just over the Once-ler's head startling his blue eyes to widen in shock at the boy. "Mama Ted says that kisses make everything better." The boy said with a grin while rubbing his nose against the blushing man's.

Ted loved the feint pink that stained the Once-ler's bruised cheeks. "Helen said that?" A moment of dumb stares from Ted coupled with a knowing smile from the Once-ler transpired before Ted narrowed his eyes and left the man again, walking into a room that the Once-ler had yet to see. Green gloved hands lifted to their bruised face to graze the tingling flesh that Ted's lips had touched. Why was it HIS lips that had this effect? Just touching those places reawakened chilly streams of nerves that sloshed all about his body and sent shivers down his thin frame. The soft fabric on his hands was nothing compared to Ted's flesh against him. He mused about those lips and the boy attached to them. Why did someone who claimed he did not what him anymore kiss him so much?

"Well?" A voice called from the other room catching the green clad man's attention. "Are you going to join me or what?" The Once-ler did not have to be asked twice. It took longer for him to shove his body onto its feet than to stride to the room in about three long steps. The prettiest picture ever lined with plastic was found beyond the white doorframe.

MMM (undressing is inappropriate right?)

Ted stood before a red sheeted bed in what looked to be a room straight out of a brothel. Tan skin that surpassed even the finest silks was exposed as an old T shirt was slid off of the boy's back. The occasional dark freckle could be found hidden in the rich flesh and only increased the Once-ler's desire to kiss every one of the spots on the kid's body. Ted glanced over his shoulder to his company and smiled a bit, giving the suited man a good once over with his eyes. Both brown and blue eyes dipped down to watch tanned fingers undo the clasp of dark jean pants and slip them article of clothing off as the feet attached to the legs kicked off their sneakers.

Control of his voice returned to the Once-ler as Ted crossed the room to stand before him in his boxers. "Should I be naked too?" He asked, instantly scorning himself for his own stupidity. The brunet chuckled bringing forth a bright flare across the Once-ler's cheeks. Sure hands snaked around a fully clothed waist and pulled the lanky man closer to Ted's nearly naked body. As if on cue, blue-gray eyes closed and the Once-ler tilted his head to connect the two with a kiss. Green gloved hands found brown locks as lips met again and again in an insistent caper that was soon made more complex by barely forceful tongues. Ted nipped at the Once-ler's bottom lip friskily during the encounter bringing the taller man back to Thneedville to realize that the kid had been unbuttoning his clothes the whole time and was now casting his perfectly tailored coat to the white carpeted floor. Still a bit hazy from being knocked out he mumbled, "I see, either you want me naked or you really have something against designer clothes." The lips pressed against his again but this time they were pulled tight in a smile and quaking with a chuckle.

Ted seized feather soft black hair to pull his lover deeper into the lip lock. The Once-ler groaned as the insistent fingers pulled him to the bed, unused to the rough treatment of his mane. His button up was lost in the tussle but his bare back did not have time to miss it as blunt fingernails took this opportunity to decorate it with sharp red angular designs. The slender figure jerked back with the pain panting. This was not a new sensation to him, not since his riches brought him such a variety of bodies to line his bed but it was something he had not expected from the kid.

"Still thinking about your head Oncie?" The hot mouth quickly connected itself to a pale neck after chuckling out the statement. In truth, he had forgotten about his head, though the appendage quickly made itself known as the world began to spin without warning making him panic with thoughts of fading consciousness again. Confusion took over as he locked eyes with his own blue ones from across the room. A toned back covered most of his body as it worked red marks into existence which he could feel with far too much clarity. It seemed strange, feeling and seeing everything taking place until he realized there was a mirror attached to the ceiling and that he was not having some strange sexual out of body experience.

Nearly white limbs shuddered and pulled Ted closer to their writhing body as he wrought a winding path of pained pleasure wherever he saw fit across the matching ghostly chest. Headache long forgotten, a new throbbing bundle of nerves plagued the Once-ler with its presence. He could not see the source as it was hidden beneath the gloriously muscled form on top of him but the overwhelming pressure of his ever tightening pants made it all too evident to him. Ted had to know of his growing concern for the hidden nuisance but his tanned fingers did nothing but stroke down the sides of his chest, leaving abs quaking minutely in their wake. "Ted," He started in a quivering voice, "I hate to interrupt your passionate –er um," All thought was lost as Ted assaulted a tiny pink peek on his chest. Tongue and teeth played it into a point then delicious suction kept it distracting enough to block coherent reasoning. Heavenly plastic, that felt good! Oh, no, now he was thinking those stupid exclamations too!

Ted pulled away to regard his lover with kiss reddened lips. That smile seemed to darken his features more than brighten them. Ted feigned a concerned look, "Something wrong dear? Is this not helping your head?" He emphasized head by rubbing a thigh against the Once-ler's clothed crotch. The torment did not end there though, Ted was far too angry with his lover for that. Instead of accepting what both men knew to be true, he acted dumb, saying, "Opps! You must be uncomfortable with that tie still on. Lemme help you out with that. That better?" The kid's grin would have been endearing had it not been so absolutely infuriating. The bar-ba-loot appetited tie? Ted really just acted like that was the cause of his ire. The item was discarded much in the same fashion as all of the Once-ler's other highly expensive clothes. If Ted did not hurry this encounter up, they would both grow old waiting to finish, which is really saying something for the Once-ler.

At the lack of movement the black haired man attempted to flip his lover beneath him only to be thwarted by Ted's superior muscle mass and his advantageous position of sitting on the Once-ler's stomach. Averting his blue eyes, he settled for huffing and responding to his lover's infuriating inquiry. "Of course taking my tie off relieved me. Why wouldn't it?" His sarcasm seemed lost on the boy but he knew better. This game was not over until Ted wanted it to be. All he could hope for was that Ted would not leave him alone, half naked in a bed, with a nearly painful hard-on.

Brown eyes darted down to the Once-ler's most pressing issue and a look of surprise dawned on his Lorax damned face. "There seems to be something in your pants Oncie! Now that must really be annoying."

"Yes, Ted, it _is_ annoying," In fact, he could think of a couple of annoying things centered on his lap. One, much heavier than his boner, came to the forefront of his mind. It sported a loveably detestable grin and seemed to reign over the business man's mind far too much. The annoyingly wonderful being just shimmied down to his thighs while dragging its fingertips further down pale sides then they had gone today. At contact with black pinstriped cloth the pesky digits turned to converge on the pant's shiny button together. Blue eyes could not peel themselves away from the sight yet the fingers did nothing. The confused gaze travelled up from the clasp of the Once-ler's pants to skim over a nicely muscled chest and rest on Ted's smiling face. There was no lecherous grin this time but the heavy lidded look still carried a condescending gaze. "Well?" He snapped just a little too sharply.

Ted, however, hardly seemed to register the aggravated tone. He simply went to work on removing the buttery soft fabric as blue eyes focused back onto the ceiling in shame. Maybe the pain in his head really had not completely ebbed. That must be why he was so irritable. He watched the two figures on the mass of silky red sheets with only a vague recognition that he was one of them. A favorably padded ass swayed as its owner worked to remove the pants and undergarments of the man lying on his back staring back at the Once-ler. A blush took over the pale man's face as his genitalia were exposed to lingering eyes. He was brought back to himself as the brunet swallowed up his erection, blocking it from view. The obstructed sight did not matter anyway. The Once-ler's eyes were hiding behind heavy lids in bliss. His pale legs shook as Ted's hot mouth sucked and swallowed pulling the Once-ler's pleasure to the surface one mind blowing wave at a time. Each crescendo had no chance to even bottom out again before a new swelling of heavenly sensations took over his body in an attempt to bring about another much more intense high that seemed just beyond the crest of the next wave. One hand swirled patterns on the inside of one of the Once-ler's thighs while a finger slowly wormed its way into the opening between the Once-ler's legs. The sucking continued at a slower rate as Ted fingered the hole loose. This blowjob was far superior to the first one, the Once-ler mused idly before a pleasant haze took control of his mind again as those blessed fingers brushed tentatively against his sweet spot. A shuddering breath and involuntary moan were apparently enough to send his lover the message because the kid began a new rhythm of nudging the heavenly bundle of nerves while swallowing around the hardened muscle. Two pairs of blue eyes locked to observe each other as their bodies tensed with a loud moan and released. Bright spots took over his field of vision as each swallow and caress wretched more pleasure from his body to join in his orgasm.

He blushed at his reflection as he realized that was his expression when he came. He could not help but think that the wide jawed surprised expression was silly on his features. The bliss left him tingling as he thought of all his past lovers laughing behind his back at the silly countenance. Somehow, Ted did not fit with the stream of sluts that had approached him in search of money in exchange for their company. No, he would be laughing all by himself or maybe with the Lorax. Wait, what? He shook his head, willing the odd thoughts to dissipate with the lingering numbness of his post orgasm high.

"Was it bad?" A worried voice plucked him from his reverie throwing him to crash back down to the bed in Thneedville. Ted had asked him a question!

"Huh?" was his outstandingly eloquent response. "No!" Ted lurched back in surprise at the outburst. "I mean, it was great Ted. I was just trying to get a weird thought out of my head," That dreaded blush took up residence on his face again as Ted smiled at him with that same, almost condescending look.

"You ready for some real fun then Oncie?" The Once-ler dreaded that nickname but ignored it in favor of the excitement present in his lover's voice.

"Of course!"

The words barely left the Once-ler's mouth before it was further occupied by Ted's again. Burning passion melted the two together in a dance of lips and tongues that seemed almost to be choreographed by some expert before the act. Ted took over his senses: taste, smell, sight, touch, and hearing; Everything went to Ted, his mouth's sweet and minty taste, his sweaty musk mixed with men's deodorant, his blurry face and hair mixture that had taken over the Once-ler's field of vision, his confident hands and mouth that commanded jumpy nerves, and his quiet breathy moans that entranced whatever was left of the man. Ted broke the kiss after thoroughly ruffling his lover and braced himself while focusing an intense hazel gaze on him. "If it hurts, just tell me, kay?" The kid was still not used to this, he decided with a groan. Ted slowly pushed into him and the Once-ler remembered that this did indeed hurt in the beginning but he was determined not to raise so much as a squeak of protest. His resolve shattered as Ted rocked out of him and quickly snapped his hips back into his lover's. The pain was nowhere near unbearable but it was enough to elicit a small groan from the Once-ler. It took just one more thrust to relocate the prostate of the blue eyed man.

"There! For thneed's sake Ted, there!" He gasped out breathlessly and his lover obliged with a grin. Ted steadily ground into that spot with each quick thrust of his pelvis causing his lover to enter a whole new dimension of bliss.

Ted, feeling especially talkative today groaned out, "You- You like that, don't ya Oncie?" To the bobble headed nod the Once-ler mustered in response, he chuckled. "Then there will be no running away this time will there?"

Puzzled, blue-gray eyes locked onto Ted's heated face. "O- Of co-urse not- not," He managed to come up with as the kid ploughed his body.

Ted grinned and snaked a hand between the two to grasp the Once-ler's slick erection, "Good!" He exclaimed as he began to jerk the organ roughly to match the cadence of his jerky thrusts. "I want you there afterwards, this time and every time after." The words alone seemed enough to make the Once-ler's slender body quiver but all the pleasure was building up again and threatening to overflow into every fiber of his being. Ted was not finished though. "I want you in my bed and your b-bed and- every other- surface I c-can think of. Got it?" A dumb nod was all the black-head could come up with. "I just- want you there-, On-cie. Al-ways. C-cause- I-I love y-ya."

This pulled a gasp from the dumfounded man. His blue eyes snapped open as his body tensed again and broke its rhythm with jerky thrusts that squirted hot cum between the two men. Brown eyes were locked on his own in a face shining brilliantly with its soft sheen of sweat. He ignored the urge to let his eyes slide shut as every rough lurch of his lover's hips brought a new height of bliss to his body. Ted's hips crashed out of their tempo as his own release filled his lover with hot streams of seed. Brown eyes squeezed shut as his teeth ground together with a choked groan, red painted expertly across the bridge of his nose and cheeks. His arms shook a bit with the effort of his grip on the sheets but soon collapsed as the Once-ler distractedly pulled the kid down on top of him. Pale arms surrounded Ted's body as they both enjoyed their post coital bliss.

MMM

Not long after Ted removed himself from the embrace to lie next to the Once-ler, now ready to face whatever the eccentric man had to offer.

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><p>"Ted steadily ground into that spot with each pelvic thrust." ^.^ I so wanted to put this in but it made me augh so hard that I could not continue writing. "It's just a pelvic thrust, that makes them go insane. Let's do the time warp again!" -Time Warp- I do not own it... hehe. Dunno if you noticed but I love referring to cum as seed in Lorax fics... Not like I have put anything else up on here yet... So, sorry about that, I probably will not use many synonyms there. Do my sex scenes seem vulgar? I worry about them every time I post... Please help me with them if you can... Hehe. I feel like such a newb... -^.^-<p>

I actually include a lot of weird literary devices. Maybe I can turn this in to my English teacher as a sample of my advanced mastery of figurative language... Maybe not... Oh well. Hope you guys like. I am so sorry about the wait! Life happens occasionally and we just have to response accordingly... ^.^ -Love-


	31. Freckles, Happy?

I own nothing. Oh yes!. There is the F bomb dropped in the first sentence. Why do I right it in if I just have to warn you about it? Cause it goes with my flow and this is rated M. I have liberties! Well here is your little taste of plot, followed by some more plot... Plotty plot plot...

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><p>The two men stared at one another, panting, with silly smiles fucked onto their faces. Brown eyes drifted shut peacefully, but blue stayed trained on their prize, sure that if they stared enough this sight would never leave them. The heavy gaze flicked down the supine figure. The person in front of the Once-ler now was no longer the boy that had ventured, frightened, through the gloom to his dismal doorstep. Ted had a surety about him now that the taller man had to admire. Sure, the Once-ler could feign cockiness better than any other young lad with a faces like his, but Ted had no need to fake it. He knew where he stood and seemed more than content with that fact. If the Once-ler had been more like him in his youth then such a despicable terror may have never befallen the surrounding land. If his ambition had not blinded his already obscured country born view of the world, then perhaps he might have been more susceptible to the Lorax's warnings. Sure, the Once-ler had exuded every ounce of power and confidence the kid had but his bravado was just another well fitted garment to him, one donned to disguise the insecure bumpkin within. Since his arrival here, the Once-ler had discovered many things about the once naturally vibrant town that had seemed to be dipped thoroughly into a giant vat of plastic before being painted up in its dividing shades. Color defined status here. Not the color of hair, eyes, or skin, but of material things. A person's paycheck could be determined often at sight by the color scheme of the possessions owned by the one in question. It was something unspoken, or if it was talked about, it was done so behind closed doors because the youthful geezer had not heard so much as an utterance about the matter.<p>

The hole he had plunged into was filled to the brim with a mound of conspiratorial pastel colored snakes writhing in all manners of contempt. Those who lived in the lightest portion of town were as likely to sink their fangs into their own tails as anyone else's. Alliances in the upper class were nearly as seldom found as they were shaky. The next category of human existence was laid out in some sort of self-inflicted eye jarring limbo. These folk reminded the black haired man of birds. They all seemed to wear their best colors all year round. These overly bright feathered creatures seemed to share a common trait here only faked by the other two social groups. These people had absolutely no concept of what was going on around them. The pollution, ever present in everyone's lives, was just accepted as the natural course of things by the haltingly colorful people, unlike in the other districts where it was either despised or utilized in some way for financial gain. That was one thing that would never change, no matter how long the man stayed away. Money would always be the world's structure, its lifeblood. The last class: insects too stupid or or bitter to see the world for its worth were easy prey for the snakes and hardly noticed if they were squashed by the clumsy feet of a garish avian.

It was difficult to believe that Ted was one of those mosquitos so ready to suck the blood from even a filthy pig's ass just to survive or a cockroach scurrying in the darkness to avoid the certain form crunching swat that killed some of their number but never was enough to keep their population in check. Ted had not looked like one of those. The kid was more of a moth than anything, a fluttery thing, pretty to look at but so seduced by the light that he could fry himself to death from pure want. The kid was certainly no butterfly. No, those eye wrenching colors were best left to the bird's feathers so that the middle class could have something to stuff their empty head's with. That bright plumage seemed just as fine a filler as any, it seemed.

Vanquishing trivial animal analogies from his mind, the Once-ler took this time to stuff every bit of this moment he could into his head, and then he crammed a little more in for good measure. The kid really had grown from that quivering mess in his bucket years ago. No, the Once-ler had to give the kid more credit than that. Ted was by far the youngest to venture out of the city alone. The kid had gusto; he had to give him that. But now, the kid was a mass of lean muscle under a layer of smooth tanned skin that was only slightly scarred and discolored. He had the right amount of hair for the Once-ler's tastes and in all the right places. Blue eyes playfully lingered over some of the Once-ler's favorite sections of Ted's body then trailed up his chest to rest heavily on his face. The kid's breathing had slowed. Now his breaths came so slow that they seemed almost sighs. Ted's face had matured as well. It had lost some baby fat and become more angular. The freckles though, they remained. The Once-ler could barely remember the freckles, but now that they were right in front of him, he could remember the light speckling of them. They were nothing like his own. These were charming, not aggravating.

"How long you planning on staring at me like that Oncie?" There was that blasted nickname again but the Once-ler was willing to let it go. They were in private after all. Ted's content smile never fell away as he spoke, "Sorry for hitting you and for breaking your window… Oh! And for stealing your car and bringing you into a stranger's house to be my sex slave." They both chuckled. Ted had this shining light in his eyes that the Once-ler wanted to see more of.

"I guess I can forgive you, for the sex slave thing at least. You still do need to finish fixing my window though. And how do you plan on fixing my face?" The Once-ler said between his laughter.

Ted pondered this with a smile for only a moment before responding, "Kiss it and make it better?" The questioning inflection was only half there as grins were passed around the silk sheeted bed.

"Haven't you already done that?" Came the quirky reply from the Once-ler.

Ted's grin dropped but a small smile stood strong in its place, "Did it work?" There was no uncertainty on the kid's face, just the honest question.

Cheerful kisses were pecked to life on the kid's freckled face to punctuate the blue eyed man's answer, "Yes. Yes, it did."

Ted wrapped a strong arm about the Once-ler's waist to pull the lither body near, "So, what did happen that night?" Confused blue eyes met brown. "The night you found the truffula forest?" He clarified. The kid had been paying attention. That was where his story left off after all.

Pale slim fingers raked through damp black hair as the Once-ler summoned up those old memories from long before countless days of waiting. Old yes, but forgotten, no, never. He would never forget what had happened, "Well, you see, it all started a long, long time ago," Somehow, Ted had managed to look stern and pout all at the same time. That joyful light disappeared from the brown eyes quickly and took the Once-ler's smile with it. There was no room for those in this conversation, it was much too serious. And so, he told the kid about the trees. He did not skimp. He did not bend the truth to make himself look better, he told the truth. This time, the kid was all the audience he could ever ask for. There was no asking for a more condensed version today. There were no breaks. There was just Ted, the Once-ler and the story about he killed all the trees.

Ted listened with rapt attention. He nodded in understanding as the Once-ler spoke of the horrific scene on the river. He cast a fond smile at the Once-ler as he invented and bragged about his thneed. His face grew angry as the town's people threw tomatoes at his lover. Confusion bloomed and spread across his face at the promise to the Lorax not to cut down any more trees but it cleared as the Once-ler's mother convinced her son that just a few more downed would not hurt. As the Oce-ler was biggering his company, Ted's face remained blank, impassive. The nothing in that face made him nervous as he told the kid how his company destroyed the environment and deceived the people of Thneedville. But at the end of the story a solemn sadness overtook those brown eyes as the last tree was cut and the Lorax, lifted. It was all there, even when Melvin and the critters left but Ted said nothing. Blue and brown met in silence but still, not a word was spoken. Anxiety welled up in the Once-ler until he just had to know, "Well, what do you think?"

The boy was at a loss for words but in mere moments he collected enough to get out of his mouth, "What do I think? You cut down all the trees! You polluted the city with your thneeds while what the people really_ needed_ were the trees you used to make them. That is the reason the water is so messed up and we have to pay for clean air, " Everything Ted said was true and the Once-ler just laid there staring at the mirrored ceiling, knowing that the worst had yet to come. "How do we fix this?"

"I wha-?" The new found determination in those brown eyes took him off guard. 'How do _we_ fix this?' Out of all the words the kid could have strung together, these were the ones the Once-ler thought he would never hear. The kid wanted to help. The sentiment could have brought tears to his watery blue eyes but instead that determined look decided it would spread from man to man like a virus. It was time to let Ted in on his latest plan. "We plant our own trees, inside the city."

"Can we do that?" The kid really could be naive at times.

The Once-ler smiled one of his old grins from back when he was on top of the world, "I already have someone picking out the perfect plot of land. Besides, who's gonna stop us?" Now the Once-ler was feeling pretty invulnerable. O'Hare had not even made an appearance since he came to town. No one here had the power to stop him.

"How do we do it?"

The vigor in Ted's words really pepped the Once-ler up. "First, Ted: We will need to plant some seeds."

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><p>O.O; In my earlier rush I failed to realize that I got more reviews in my absence... One hundred reviews on my FIRST fanfiction! Oh my goodness! I could die now but I think I will wait a few more years...<p>

Thank you. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to read them but I have a few more chapters to post before that... These really made my terrible month feel lighter. So glad to be near internet again. -Syco-


	32. Getting Caught Red Sheeted

I do not own any character's or ideas from "The Lorax". Ted drops the F bomb again. It is by far his favorite curse word... Beware!

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><p>Getting caught naked in bed with another man by your friends is certainly not the greatest feeling in the world. Ted was prepared for the worst in his outing but he never planned on getting so absorbed with his conversation with the Once-ler that he forgot to get out of bed. The reactions were not exactly what we would have expected. R.J. was close to the reaction he anticipated, shocked, with a face so pale that the tinges of green from pollution showed through his complexion in a sick looking way. EatR, however, just looked pleased. She was standing in the doorway in her black over coat with her arms crossed under a knowing smile. "I know what this looks like," The words rushed out of Ted's paled face before he could even think of an explanation to the soundtrack of Once-ler's quiet chuckles.<p>

EatR joined in with her own laughter. "As long as you didn't do it in my bed, I don't care. Hello again Mr. Once-ler. Can I get you a drink? Some clothes? Anything?" Both men were decently covered by now with a red silk sheet but the reminder of their hidden undress sent a wildfire across Ted's cheeks.

This question did not have nearly the same effect on the Once-ler. The blue eyed man just rearranged himself calmly on the bed and regarded her levelly from his perch beside Ted. His response was almost regal, "I believe I have everything I need, Miss Eterna," the Once-ler's hand found Ted's and held in gently in a long fingered grasp. "That was some show you put on last night. You are quite the aerial acrobat." EatR took this as a cue to sit at the foot of the bed and fiddle with the silken sheets there.

R.J. took this time to region the world of sentient beings. "Ted, you- your gay?" This was the most shaken Ted had ever seen the man. Perhaps an attraction to the same sex was something customary to be shared with your roommate. He was still wide eyed and pale with his dark eyes darting back and forth between the pair resting under the covers.

EatR answered, relishing in the men's discomfort, "I think the term is bisexual actually," She noted R.J.'s bewildered expression with glee. "Well he did like Audrey before so I am guessing he goes both ways. You sure have some rich tastes, don't you Ted? First mid-city girl and now uptown boy. Nice," Ted wished the bed would just swallow him whole but he had no such luck.

R.J. continued to gape. "So you and this guy here are- are-?" The giant stumbled verbally. This was definitely too much for the man.

Ted knew that he should answer but nothing was coming into his head. Thankfully, Once-ler was there to pick up the slack and with a tightened grip on Ted's hand, he answered, "Lovers? Yes, we are. It is truly unfortunate that you had to find out this way. I apologize about the way you found us. This must be very hard for you sir." Ted could not believe how cool his lover was about all of this. "If you do not mind, Ted and I would love a moment of privacy to collect ourselves before we continue our little visit." Somehow, the two racers obliged without hesitation. Once-ler turned back to Ted with severity in his eyes, "If there is anything you want to hide from your friends, tell me now." The man got up to dress himself in his now slightly wrinkly suit.

Ted followed his example and answered with a voice muffled by his worn Funky Fumes T shirt. EatR was right. For the first time, Ted felt ashamed of the flaking paint on his shirt. "Nothing. I want them to know everything," With that said, the two finished dressing with just a bit of clothes tossing between them. Ted hurried toward the door to escape the shuffling silence but was caught by a hooked arm of the Once-ler. The green clad man pulled the other flush with him and their lips met. The kiss was gentle, like the Once-ler was so good at when he felt like it. It was reassuring like the older man was trying to assert that he was here and he was not going anywhere. Ted knew that it was just his imagination as he settled back after the kiss. Renewed, he crossed to the door in the company of his lover. Together they joined his friends as a united force. He did not need the other man there as back up but it did feel good to know he was there with him. With the Once-ler beside him, he knew there was nothing to fear. He had no worries from his friends; it was the rest of the world he did not trust.

EatR was at the kitchen sink, scrubbing away her caked on stage makeup with a polyester robe covering her voluptuous form. One of her heels was perched on the table much like the rock at the Once-ler's house and the other was being turned about in R.J.'s calloused grasp. The Once-ler jumped as EatR blew her nose loudly into a paper towel but R.J. did not seem to notice the somewhat loud display. She discarded the disposable sheet in favor of a plush towel to wipe down her face. She turned back to the group with a flush across her cheeks. Her features were not nearly as exaggerated as with makeup but Ted knew EatR to be pretty, greased up, in a pair of coveralls, working on Hunkling. Now she was just EatR, no Eterna the stripper. R.J. took her in with what Ted recognized from him as just a hint of a smile but her eyes were trained on the Once-ler. She bid the men to take a seat at the table as she began scurrying around the kitchen, placing things onto a plastic tray. Ted and the Once-ler settled onto two clean green plastic chairs and Ted examined the kitchen. The refrigerator had an ink drawing magneted to it, no doubt by the hands of its artist, Wes. It was of the beach in Thneedville. Wes always did have a fondness for swimming. She had an array of appliances, including a toaster and a dishwasher. The olive colored curtains on the window were drawn shut above the steel sink that broke up the off white plastic countertops.

R.J interrupted Ted's thoughts with his first question, "So, how did this happen Ted?"That infernal blush returned to claim Ted's cheeks once more.

This was going to be a long day, he decided, and took a deep breath to steel himself for the upcoming conversation. "When I was a kid, I left the city to find a tree to give Audrey. Grandma Norma said the Once-ler knew what happened to them, even gave me directions. So I met him and he started telling me the story about the trees. Just when it started getting good, he sent me home and told me to come back the next day. But O'Hare told my mother that I left and I was grounded for the rest of the summer. I gave up on getting a tree from the Once-ler and forgot all about it until the engagement was announced. Then I got mad. I did not know what to do so I drove out to that old house and threw a rock through his window."

EatR was just joining them with a tray of coffee and everything that goes with it arranged very neatly in matching containers. As she fixed herself a mug of the beverage, she remarked, "Huh? What was that last bit?" Apparently he had been muttering the last part.

"I threw a rock through his window!" The outburst made the others jump. "The next day, I apologized. I ended up spending the week after fixing that fucking window. Then I saw him without his old man clothes on and things just kinda went from there."

Ted stared blankly at the table when his spiel was finished. A green gloved hand found his and wrapped long fingers around it. R.J. was not finished though. "Old man clothes? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The Once-ler's hand retreated to its pair. Ted perked up to hear this explanation. What would the high class man say? Ted had seen the poem he wrote. "He means the disguise I have been wearing for years. No one would believe I was the Once-ler if I did not age. People tend to have a hard time believing in immortality so I kept it a secret until now." Before anyone could muster a point of how crazy that claim was, he removed the bandage from his head, knowing that the cut and bruises were yesterday's history. EatR gasped, R.J. nodded, and Ted went back to his study of the table. "This is my punishment for destroying the forest. Sorry Ted." Quiet. There was too much quiet. EatR had forgotten her coffee but R.J. still took measured sips of his own.

Before the stretching silence could smother everyone, Ted spoke up. There was just one more thing they had to discuss before he visited his mom at the Once-ler's hotel room. "We have a plan to get the trees back." That got his friends' attention. A lightness came back to those icy blue eyes as the plan was laid out and Ted's friends showed interest in the endeavor. Many in Thneedville could not care less about trees but R.J. had adopted a small affinity for them that artists often did. Ted could not believe that his friends were so into this plan. When it was over, R.J. still appeared to be thinking things over and EatR looked just plain excited. Ted could not banish the giddy shivers that took over his body. Finally, something was going to be done about the absence of trees. It felt great to have a part in it.


	33. Just Business

I no own! By the way, this barely mentions the pair you surely want to read about so if you want to skip ahead another chapter should be up soon. But this does have plot!

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><p>"WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP DISAPPEARRING WITHOUT A TRACE?" Erin O'Hare raved to her head secretary, "First O'Hare, then his skank of a secretary, and now this Ted Higgins and that delusional kid who thinks he's the Once-ler! Where are they all going to?"<p>

"Wiggins ma'am," The man mumbled out frightened. He was a slender man with a tendency to hunch in Erin's presence that sent others thinking of misuse but she knew that the darkly cast circles beneath his eyes were from his own shadowy past.

"WHAT!" She seethed with an angry red face that clashed heavily with her snowy sun dress.

"The boy's name is Ted Wiggins ma'am," This man knew better than to stutter in her presence. She despised stuttering. It was a pet peeve of hers than ensured instant termination for even the hardest workers in her employ.

Erin took a few deep calming breaths, knowing better than to let her anger get out of control. That was one way to get wrinkles. The boy's name was inconsequential. She only really cared about the fact that people were either leaving the city or vanishing. She did not believe in humans turning invisible so than left just one other option. It also explained where the gorgeous nut job in the green suit had come from. "Leave," Erin commanded calmly and the man did just that. She had other things to worry about other than the latest missing person's reports. In her husband's absence, she controlled the company and she planned on taking over the city while that kid remained away. She glanced back over the obituaries one last time. Her eyes locked on one name reminding her of her new mission. Blindly trusting that kid had cost her thousands. Today she would ensure that deposit reaped rewards. The merger she was working so diligently to set up would save O'Hare Air for good.

She had left the children waiting long enough. Erin took a hold of two white folders, decadently embossed with gold, and headed into the garden room, through the rear entrance hidden behind thick foliage of artificial trees. The guests were chatting lightly with one another, glancing worriedly at the main entrance, waiting for their hostess. They were both in the richest garments but only the girl wore pastels. The boy wore all green and black with a tall top hat. She had heard about him but thought it was all an overlay from the other one. This boy, though more at ease than the girl, paled in comparison to the last who staked claim to that both revered and infamous name. She swept out from behind the plastic fronds grandly to observe their awed expressions full on. The girl rose in greeting but the boy relaxed back into the old wicker settee in a faux confidence that made his tanned angular face resemble the pale round façade of the other Once-ler wannabe. The expression was the end of similarities between the two of them.

Erin smiled to the girl and sent the boy her best appraising look in the same sweeping gesture. She extended a hand to the redhead in greeting, "Erin O'Hare, acting CEO of O'Hare Air. It is so very nice to meet the two of you." The girl accepted her hand and Erin squeezed in reassurance.

"I'm Audrey Harris. Thank you so much for having us in your lovely home," Once contact was broken between the two females, Audrey moved to brush fiery strands from the side of her face. Her smile was truly charming with sparkling green eyes. She was everything Erin had heard, everything and more. Dressed in a pale minty green sundress, Audrey wore no makeup other than a sheer gloss for her lips and she certainly needed no more. There was a light behind those eyes emanating beauty and innocence that shone out of every pore of the girl's body making her glow with genuine attractiveness. It was said that this was the prettiest girl in Thneedville. That was the complete truth. Before Audrey's engagement had been announced, it was every man's dream to curry her favor. It probably still was for some of them. The only fault that Erin could find in her was the sincerity in those pine green eyes. That look was what would keep the girl down. Erin had no need to push that explosion of red-orange under water; she would drown by the weights of her own sincerity. The upper class of Thneedville was filled to the brim with power hungry monsters that had the gall to call themselves people. Without her fiancé, this girl would never last.

The boy stepped up next to extend his green gloved hand. Where were all these kids shopping now a days? "Tavin Marquis. It is a pleasure to meet you Erin. Now, what was it that you wished to discuss today? We are very busy people." The young man said curtly. He was hansom but his looks certainly paled in comparison to the last Once-ler impersonator she had encountered. He was of an age with his woman, mid-twenties she would guess. He was nicely tanned and a bit broader in the chest than the other Once-ler. His hair was the color of fine dark chocolate and his eyes had mesmerizing coppery rings in the iris but he lacked the skills to ensnare her. Beyond his flashy clothes that were accented in a rich forest green, he reeked of overconfidence. The materials the pair wore were not on par with either her or the other Once-ler. This boy was definitely far too cocky. Erin would have to handle him carefully. Cocky boys were always a mite unpredictable, especially when there were women involved.

Erin kept her smile cordial. Nothing could shake her resolve, certainly not this pair. "Ah, yes! I can imagine how busy the two of you must be. What, between upcoming nuptials and directing one of the city's two biggest companies. How is all of that going anyway?" It was a real pain to keep the condescending tone from her voice. She was far above these people but she would do what she had to. Erin had to play this perfectly.

Audrey was the one who answered her with all of the childish excitement of a woman in love. "Oh, it is just splendid. The whole thing is like a dream! Who would have thought that a girl like me would be a CEO of Biggering Inc._ and_ marry the New Once-ler. It really is a fairytale come true." Freckles jumped up Audrey's face as she grinned wide. This girl was far too crazy for this Tavin boy.

"Once-ler? Is that the source of this new fashion trend?" Erin was doing her best to act like this was news. Acting dumb was a two pronged offensive: it got others to underestimate her and it was a wonderful way to ascertain what others knew.

Tavin just looked a bit annoyed by this and Audrey perplexed. Tavin took the lead this time, "You have heard of the fabled Once-ler, have you not, Erin?" The sandy blonde haired woman barely escaped the involuntary cringe that threatened to seize her body and he said her name. "The man was said to be venerated and shunned. I chose him to emulate for many reasons. He was, by all accounts, the greatest business man to have ever lived. He invented something and marketed it so well that the city was even renamed after his product. That certainly is something to aspire to, would you not agree?" Erin barely got a chance to begin a nod before the boy started up again, "But that is not all. The man was cast out and then became known as the 'Tree Man'. It is said that at one time you could leave the city and pay him to learn about trees. Very fitting for the next big 'Tree Man', don't you think? The only flaw in the title is that the original Once-ler failed. That is something that I do not plan to do." This boy was nearly more conceited than the last. He only fell short in not claiming to be the original business man.

Erin was speechless as she sunk into a wicker chair. This man was surely intelligent and had huge ambitions. It was no wonder that Biggering Inc. was willed to him with the passing of its heirless owner despite his age. "Well now, two creative CEOs will certainly do your company good. After all, our 'New Once-ler' here was the designer of the new trufoola trees. Best sellers are they, especially the ones compatible with O'Hare brand air? At least, that is what our latest financial reports suggest." She passed the couple the lavish folders. Audrey's brow furrowed in curiosity but it did nothing to mar her beauty. Tavin, however, did not even open his file.

Instead, he spoke directly to his elder, "What is your point Erin? As I said, we have a lot to do." His banded eyes bore into Erin as he stared her down but it did nothing to unnerve her. He was no more than a boy wearing a man's suit.

Erin took her time, rearranging her white skirt over her legs, keeping a small content smile drawn across her face. The boy wanted her to be more direct so she figured it was about time to tell them exactly what she wanted. "Currently Biggering Inc. pays wholesale price for O'Hare Air, just as any other sales place. This causes the O'Hare trees to be pricier and thus less obtainable to lesser patrons. Though they are the top sellers and reaping extraordinary profits, I believe it possible to make this relationship even more fruitful." Erin clasped a sweating pitcher of flavored iced tea to fill a clear crystal goblet with the stuff to drink from.

In her pause, Audrey snapped back to attention and remarked on the conversation, "We can make them even more affordable? How?" She grabbed her own goblet and mimicked the business woman.

Erin had been waiting for this moment. She had these children right where she wanted them. Two CEOs, inexperienced in business, focused solely on her. Erin had them hanging on her every word and that was just how she wanted it, especially since it was just one word that she intended to give them. "Merger." That was it. This was the sum of her plans currently and her next move was wholly dependent upon the response to that word. Audrey looked shocked, sinking back with her glistening tea while Tavin sat staring, very contemplatively, at his elder. Erin continued to smile cavalierly as she sipped at her cool drink and allowed the pair time to think. She idly wondered if the children understood the amount of money and insurance this deal would yield.

Finally, Tavin said, "O'Hare Air would be the sole brand of purified air featured in our trees." It was not a question but it was. All three knew the answer but it had to be spoken a loud.

"Yes," another one worded response from Erin.

Tavin turned to his young fiancé, "Well Dear, what do you think?"

"I think it is a good idea," she answered in a quiet voice. She seemed very overwhelmed and even Tavin's composure was ruffled.

Tavin nodded to his love and focused back on the older woman. This child sure liked to play business. "Send us some written proposals and we will consider it. I look forward to future discussions on this matter. Was there anything else you wished to speak to us about?" His gaze was almost challenging her to propose another outrageous business idea but she had no more O'Hare business with them.

All she had was Erin business to attend to. "Only that I would love to spend more time with our radiant bride to be," She turned to the ginger girl. "How about it, would you like to set up a lunch date in the future? It is so difficult to find women of status that have more in their heads than material things," She covered the girl's hand with her own, a gesture that was returned by the soft hand's pair. The girl consented, of course, and readily set up a get together before Erin dismissed the pair. Everything was finally as it should be. Now, if only she could find out where everyone was disappearing to.

She sat, enjoying her tea and the ambiance of the vast gardens for a spill. Erin had done well today, she deserved it. Unfortunately, people do not always get what they deserve. A servant interrupted her tranquility with the news that a lady visitor was allowed on the premises and was now lounging in O'Hare's study. Erin had to investigate. She again entered through a back entrance, to catch her guest off guard as she had done to her. She entered the room to find the visitor sitting in Aloysius's raised throne like seat with only her tall, sleek, black heels showing with a small expanse of fishnet stockinged ankle.

A too familiar seductive voice greeted her, "Ah, how nice of you to join me O'Hare," Something oddly shaped and green sat atop the desk before the seated woman.

Erin stood straighter, wondering if the woman could see her in a reflection somewhere. She wanted to be positive she appeared unruffled by this turn of events. "I think you have the wrong O'Hare, dear," she offered calmly.

"Oh, no, Mrs. O'Hare. I believe we both know Aloysius state of availability for company of late. No, I came seeking you this time. Do you have time now to speak with me?"

"I suppose I could spare a minute or two," Two meetings in one day, Erin O'Hare was a busy woman today. But how fruitful would these encounters be? "What is this about child?"

A goblet of water exposed itself from behind the throne supported by a perfectly manicured hand. "Are the goblets you use here lead free crystal?"

Erin did not allow her body to portray her confusion. "No, lead free is not true crystal. It is not much more than glass. The lead is what makes the crystal, crystal. Substituting other metals deplenishes the value and make it something cheaper, something less valuable. We, of course, afford only the best."

"_That_ is what I am here to speak with you about."

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><p>Dun, dun, dun! I actually like this chapter. It may have only had one nonOC but it really starts give the plot more of an edge... I never thought I would use that tid bit about crystal in well... anything... but it seemed to fit so well with this story. Thneedville has been playing around with lead free far too long, it is time for some real crystal! Sorry for so many metaphors...<p> 


	34. To The Ground!

Disclaimer: I own nothing still...

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><p>Once-ler hated leaving Ted alone again but he had things yet to do and at least he knew the kid was safe for the time being. Plus, the kid had to buy a suit. So it was with a heavy heart that the Once-ler left Ted in his room that morning. Apparently the kid could drive something other than his speeder because the nighttime green firebird had not a mar on it. The Once-ler ran a gloved hand over the glossy chassis before he climbed into the driver's seat. The vehicle purred to life and slunk out of the hotel's parking garage, but once it was out on the streets its demeanor altered entirely. The outside air, though toxic, revived the gait of the sports car causing it to spread its wings and glide all the way to the bank. It was no surprise that the bank still stood supported on its grand marble pillars but the sight brought a grimace to the green clad man's face. The statues of O'Hare mocked the small statured man's absence. They were a testament to the belief of power Thneedville's people had for O'Hare. Even missing, people would follow this man, but not for much longer. The Once-ler climbed the marble steps and pushed through the gold rimmed glass spinning door. The inside of the bank was every ounce as majestic as one would think it would be. This place was a shrine to money as much as it was to those who had it. Polished black leather shoes crossed over an extravagantly tiled floor. Swirls in tasteful pastels were made with cut granite tiles. The place reeked extravagance down to its gilded wooden countertops. The high ceilings amplified the quite din of business was easy enough to speak with a teller though and in short order, the request for a private transaction and a trip to the safety deposit box was made. He was directed to a classy waiting room meant for senior patrons only but a young girl sat in a large leather chair with her pale slender legs pulled up under her and a sketch book balanced on her lap. Her yellow dress was not particularly long by any means, and exposed a generous expanse of pale thighs. Wavy red locks cascaded from her pretty faced head. Her emerald eyes concentrated on her latest work of art as her glossy lips pursed in thought. The Once-ler noted her freckles and fondly thought about his own love's face delicately dappled with the dots. His smaller collection of the spots was far cuter than this girl's.<p>

The Once-ler settled into a chair near the girl's but did not interrupt her process. After a short span, curiosity won out and had him peering over the girl's shoulder at a sketch of a boy's face. The Once-ler's boy's face to be exact! "You know Ted?" He blurted before a single thought more could cross his mind.

Startled, the girl's eyes shot from the paper to the Once-ler's face, "Why, yes! Ever since he went missing it's been hard to think of anything else. Have you seen him? D'you know if he's alright?" Her voice was more than anxious but she had a single diamond ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. This was Audrey, Ted's long time crush who was now marrying some other man.

"Ted's fine, Audrey," the Once-ler reassured. Audrey smiled at him and turned to a new page in her sketchbook. "He has been staying with friends. I saw him just this morning in fact." He smiled at the girl. She had to be either stupid or crazy not to want Ted.

She chuckled with a small distant look in her eyes, "Ted Wiggins, awake this early? It's not even eight thirty yet. What has come over him?" She was right about Ted being a late riser. Memories of the kid not coming downstairs until well after noon brought a smile to the Once-ler's face. Emerald eyes snapped back to the man's face and a blush joined her freckles. "I'm sorry, have we met? I can't remember your name."

The Once-ler removed his glitzy glasses and stuffed them in a coat pocket with a warm smile to the now even redder seeming girl. She swallowed uncomfortably and tugged at the hem of her dress to cover as much thigh as possible. So much for the Once-ler's fabled charming friendly smiles. Audrey seemed downright uncomfortable. "Pardon me. Where are my manners dear? I'm the Once-ler." Her eyebrows shot up as the name sunk in. Finally, a response to his name that he expected.

"Forgive me for this, but I though the original Once-ler died. Shouldn't you be like nearly a hundred by now?" Curiosity sparkled in her eyes but a smile refused to leave her fair face.

Once-ler sighed, "I am quite old but certainly not dead." The girl ran fingers through her fiery har, a motion the Once-ler was well acquainted with. He decided to test his new theory, leaning in close to the girl, which she quickly did in turn, he said lowly, "Do you know why a kettle screams?" She shook her head slowly in their close proximity, breathing shallowly. "Cause you put a fire under its ass!" He let out a loud guffaw and she feigned a laugh as well. Ted was going to kill him when he found out.

A teller entered during the laughing fit and ushered him away from the pink faced girl. Their first stop was the Once-ler's safety deposit box which he emptied. He put into it a picture of Ted that Helen had given him. After locking it back up, he followed the teller to a private office furnished in heavy metals and plastics. The business end was paying off nicely. All of his stocks were gaining value, a few were even ripe to sell, except stock in one company which would raise with time. Before anything else he sold all of his O'Hare Air stocks. He sold a few others, bought some more then he came to Biggering Inc. stocks. His years playing a business man told him these were ripe stock and that they would only spoil if given more time but his gut told him to buy more, no matter the price. Wondering if it really was a good idea, he bought. Real trees would likely kill the artificial manufacturer's business but Once-ler had an amazing business intuition. He set aside a hefty account from his fortune and instructed the teller to find him a proxy to buy until further notice. He added Ted as his heir, just in case, and gave the kid full access to everything. After changing most of his passwords from 'Lifted Lorax' to 'Mad Mule Melvin', he also added Helen as a beneficiary to his largest account. More money was filtered into CDs to gain interest. He added two new accounts with money he earned and passworded them with names of bar-ba-loots as he always did. He now had one hundred twelve of these tiny accounts. A bizarre cypher was set up to remember the passwords dealing with numerical patterns. Today's were 'Truffaloop' and 'Pipsqueak'. Stocks and a copy of his will were returned to his safety deposit box as well as the deeds to the lands he owned.

When all that was done, he arranged for the copy righting of the name 'Truffala Forest Garden'. The Once-ler renewed his building permits and finalized his purchase of an old factory. Finally finished with his business at the bank, the Once-ler insisted that he could find his way out and backtracked to the waiting room. Audrey still sat in there staring at a drawing leaning against the far side of the room. A rough sketch of the Once-ler stared back at her. The red head groaned in frustration as she paced and studied the drawing, the look of an artist who is not satisfied with their work and will probably never perfect that piece. He knew that look all too well.

He fled. The Once-ler had no desire to face that girl now. The kid loved her but she quite plainly did not return those feelings. Panting after his run, the Once-ler leaned against his pricey vehicle. The firebird served as a great perch despite its grandeur. After gasping against black shines for a while, the green suited man removed his hat and climbed into the driver's seat. Summoning the strength to start the car was difficult. He wanted so badly to leave but there was this stray inclination that he was missing something still. He focused on the people he saw. The teller was properly respectful and showed surprise and confusion at all the right business moves. Next was the girl. She sketched Ted in worry then went immediately to mooning over the Once-ler. That screamed young woman. Even if she was engaged, it was still not an odd behavior for a young lady. Her age had tendencies to be flighty in love. That was not out of the ordinary. He was about to move on when it struck him: he was served before her. She was well into her drawing when he entered. Surely, someone with enough prestige to occupy the private waiting room in Thneedville's most esteemed bank would warrant more expedient service. Of course, it was unlikely that she was there on her own rights. She was not raised in uptown, her speech said that much. Audrey was there by her fiancé's fortune. Whoever beat Ted out in courting her must be quite wealthy. Audrey was a gold digger. No wonder she was so interested in the Once-ler. At a glance, she seemed so sincere but that was the way of some of these devious women.

After backing out of his parking spot, it did not take the Once-ler long to shift into third gear. Speeding away from one problem, he dashed toward another. One more stop to make before he could return to Ted. The lot came swiftly, like a looming grey shadow on the outskirts of town. Bulldozers and cranes all stood ready as he had ordered. At sight of him, his workers all workers all lined up expectantly. A good group of workers who had lost their jobs at Biggering Inc. because the assembly lines were recently made more automated.

"To the ground!" He announced, which brought a round of gleeful cheering from the crowd of too thin men and women. These people deserved jobs, deserved to eat. If the Once-ler had not found them, they would have surely died on the streets from pollution. One thing he had learned in his fall was that life was valuable. How he affects people is important. He should have really given to charity. He should have found a way to preserve life, above all else. This was the best he could do. This time he would give a portion of his earnings to charity.

The sight was a grand one to see, markings of industry tumbling to the ground. Soon life would grow from this man made scab upon the Earth. The Once-ler grinned beneath his towering green hat. Yes, this was the fall of one Business Empire and the start of a new one, one that he would undeniably lead.

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><p>More plot. Probably not thoroughly entertaining but hey, more smut is on the way! ^.^ I love the relationships in this sucker. They fail so hard!<p>

Some talk of foreshadowing has been mentioned. Make what you will of this. . I hate writing our sexy business man like this but I really think this is something of how his mind might actually work. Also, I have named most of my OCs for this fic and all of the major characters but one have been introduced. Can anyone guess who has not been introduced? (Snicker) There will a couple more random people named but that is just for the sake of being known by a character... I believe...

Enjoy!


	35. Shopping!

Disclaimer: I do not even own a copy of "The Lorax" yet, let alone the rights to it or its characters...

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><p>The difference between downtown and uptown Thneedville was a drastic as with night and day. Buildings and streets were all pressure washed to keep their unnatural color scheme in the polluted city. The denizens were not much better. Rumors in downtown claimed these people would actually use sorts of bleach washes to keep their skin a more healthy color than those with the sludgy cast developed from spending time outside in the air. In fact, if someone was too greenish here, they were the subject of a lot of odd looks. A wake could be found spreading behind the small shopping party, full of these stares.<p>

Ted was practically skipping along completely unfazed by these otherwise hurtful looks. It was like there were entire worlds between these people and himself normally, rather than the meager fifty blocks that were reality. He could not care less about making the leisure lived of the city uncomfortable. Everyone had to deal with things they did not like at one point, it was a part of life, though these people made it seem like that was _not_ a fundamental of their lives. Normally, he may scorn their like for the easy lives bestowed upon them. This was not a time for that though.

His excited gait was pulled up short at a strangely familiar sight in the window of one of the tall bleached white buildings that lined the slow paced streets. Behind the gleaming glass lined with gold was a hat, tall, green and black, but smaller than he was accustomed to. EatR stumbled into him with words even too colorful for mid-city falling from her mouth which distracted passerby as much as the hat did Ted. The young man mounted the steps before his mother even noticed the erratic direction change. Helen was not one to be left behind for long though so she quickly linked arms with Rose to push past EatR's stunned form and into the store. This store was much like many others the group had visited today, only it was particularly expensive and catered to both genders. EatR joined the other two women standing stiffly to one side as Ted barreled towards a sales clerk with an overly practiced smile.

"Why hello there young sir!" The grey moustache said under squinty eyes that exaggerated its turned up ends. This man was miniscule in every way: height, weight class, even his tone spoke of a bootlicking life content to stay in its comfortable rut.

Ted just towered over him with a severity he rarely wore until meeting the Once-ler, asking, "That hat! Where'd you get it? Who's it for?" The mustached man looked bewildered at the violently shaking finger before placing it as pointing towards the newly completed top hat in the window display.

His tiny eyes widened, though not by much, for merely an instant before they were back to their regular occupation of crinkling with a false smile. "Y-you do not want one as well, do you? We make them sir. That is the second one we have produced in the past two weeks, actually. Tell me sir, is this the turning point of the fashion world?"

Ted's arm fell away as realization bloomed in his mind, "Who? Who did you sell these to so far?" How could there be more than one Once-ler in the city? Why were they dressing like his bo- lover?

The man began dry washing his hands with a well-used fox like expression on his face. "So sorry young sir, but we at Corporate Outfitters are not in the habit of sharing client's personal information with inquiring minds. If we were to-" Ted may not be used to having large amounts of money at his disposal but that did not mean he did not know how to use it. A greased palm did nothing to change the salesman's demeanor but it did alter his tune. "That hat is for a lovely tall drink of water with a high class air and a full head of blond hair." Ted was unsatisfied and slipped the crook another bill uttering the word 'names'. "So sorry but her purchase was to be anonymous, but I can tell you the name of the first buyer. He too wished to go unnamed but I would have to be four kinds of lame not to know him, Tavin Marquis. Both patrons bought nice suits to go along with their interesting accessory in dark green colors though they both chose different shades. Would you wish to be fitted for the same, young sir?" Ted had stopped paying attention at Tavin. What would he want with an outfit like Oncie's? Ted pulled out a distinct piece of plastic with the Once-ler's name protruding in silver lettering from one side.

"I believe I would, show me what fabrics you've got." For once in this extended shopping trip, the girls seemed to leave him alone, looking at their own prospective purchases rather than rating and deciding what he wanted to buy. This store seemed to have measuring down to a science and in no time, Ted was all sized up and had chosen a suit to match his lover's perfectly. He assured the associate that he would return to pick up the suit at his own leisure and requested that it just be stored in the back room until then. After his outfit was well and ordered, it was his turn to sit a critique the women. Mom and Mrs. Rose we both all dressed up in rich gowns waltzing about the composite floors with a distinctly 'groovy' rhythm as EatR carefully scrutinized her reflection while fingering her worn bracelet with a lip between her teeth. The cheery saleswoman who was assisting the distracted girl made her way over to Ted and soothed him into a tuxedo with toe pinching shoes. Now he was stuck sighing to himself in a full length floor mirror, all too aware of how the oddly clinging clothes were utterly unfit for him. Sure, they were his size but he did not belong in this soft yet uncomfortable material. The suit even smelled stiff, if that was possible.

His rather broad chest gave him a strange triangular chest shape that he could not help but find strange, probably because most of the suited men he normally saw had no definition in their shoulders. The cost of living such a pampered life he supposed. Shiny black heels click clacked up behind him in the mirror. A busty blonde stood tall in stilettoes, a half unbuttoned snowy blouse, and a too tight black pencil skirt. Her bright red lips pulled back into a smile as she examined Ted's front in the reflective glass.

A low seductive drawl escaped her delicious looking lips, "You sure look good cleaned up, Ted Wiggins," Two rows of perfect white fangs grinned at his surprised expression. "We haven't met officially, have we?" Ted shook his head just slightly, not taking his eyes off of the woman. She was the kind of woman that turned out to be a vampire or some other creature of the night, like a succubus. That was it. If he turned away, she would surely suck the life out of him or something. Hell, the woman had already undressed him with her eyes in the time they were standing there! "My name is Angel Wiles," She smiled in a way that Ted was sure made most men melt but he saw through her in a second. This Angel Wiles wanted something from him, but what? If she knew his name, shouldn't she know he has no money –er _had_ no money. "I hardly think it is wise for a _man of_ your standing to anger the Once-ler further."

"Anger?" How could he possibly anger the man? Oncie did not even want to leave the apartment this morning. "Why would Once be mad at me?" Ted would have called the man Oncie but it seemed out of place in this conversation, and even the abbreviated version of the Once-ler's name had Ms. Angel's eyes narrowing. Her deep blue eyes looked even darker surrounded by the slight flush of anger that sprang up in her flawless cheeks. She didn't look too pretty with _that_ expression, Ted decided.

In less than a second, her composure was back and that red smile, which seemed to resemble the color of oxygenated blood more and more, was back in place. "The ever helpful and discreet employees of Corporate Outfitters were kind enough to inform me what kind of suit you just ordered. Dressing like the Once-ler? I cannot believe he would be pleased to hear of this. We are quite close, he and I…" The still barely parted lips let the last statement fall and gears turned in Ted's head to lift the curtain from the unspoken portion of sentence. She was screwing Oncie!

Ted's eyes wrenched from her face to examine his own in the mirror. The decidedly ill appearing pallor worked well on the face of the boy who had been so easily deceived. A shiny clawed hand was placed on his suited shoulder. The rich fabric and manicured hand looked right together just as they undoubtedly would with his lover's shoulder in his place. How long had the Once-ler been seeing this demon of the night? Ted's mind automatically flashed to countless passionate nights spent between the pair in the most lavish settings he could fathom. No, they could have only been together for a couple of weeks realistically. The Once-ler had not come to the city until then and there was no way this pampered succubus would go to the Once-ler's rickety looking house surrounded by a sea of decaying stumps of dead truffula trees. Even Ted had to admit that the scenery out there was not an alluring sight. This was probably one of her tricks to get- well whatever it was she was after.

Ted whirled around to face Ms. Angel whose hand was thrust off in the action. Red lips parted in surprise before they were overtaken by that same smile always used to ensnare the weaker specimens of the male gender. Ted spat out at her, "And how close would that be exactly, Ms. Angel?" Nerves could be heard grinding against his voice as Ted spoke. Eyes the color of water deep below the ocean's surface, far enough to crush a human with the heavy weight of the large mass of liquid, attempted to squash him in their hold with no luck.

Ms. Angel sported a sly, victorious look when she responded, "Oh don't worry Teddy-Weddy! He means nothing to me. There's enough Angel to go around."

Ted did not even know how to begin to respond to that. The harlot had even pinched his cheek when her voice turned into that weird squished sounding one adults tended to use with infants! Regardless, this chick was sleeping with Oncie and wanted him too. A flicker of uncertainty crossed the blonde's face as the freckled boy just stared, pondering his next move. It was not a tough decision for the boy. Have the insanely sexy Once-ler, this hot ass chick, or maybe even both. Not a difficult decision at all.

By the time Ted left with his all woman entourage, the hell's Angel was as red in the face as her master beneath Thneedville undoubtedly was. He was so infuriated with her wily seductions that he wound up just buying the clothes he and the women were wearing to escape her. The brilliant luster of the perfectly polished uptown Thneedville was quickly descending into an equally dazzling blinding display of looming buildings. This part of town was no different than its equivalent Ted used to frequent. The shops everywhere were always about the bottom line, how to make more money. Many of the women, it turned out, were not much better. Ms. Angel did not occupy his thoughts long though. No, He had much more pressing matters to attend to. What he was going to say in his lengthy conversation with his lover was one thing. How he could convince that sexy ass to stay in his bed was another. Ted tried to hold onto his fury as long as possible, knowing very well that if it escaped his sweaty grasp he would be left alone with his uncertainties. He would have the Once-ler. He would have him all to himself if it took tying the loon up!

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><p>Alrighty then Ted... Hehe, you trying to foreshadow there? I did not know you were so... kinky... Eh, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.<p>

By the way. The stream of incredibly 'intelligent' (hehe) questions has ebbed in my inbox... It is almost a tad lonely without those infuriating PMs. (PMS=laughter on Syco's part)


	36. The Talk

Disclaimer: As always, the CIF disclaims any works of fiction done by the makers of "The Lorax". This chapter contains a bit of profanity as my boys duke it out but do not worry, it is only a couple of words that I think we have all seen before.

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><p>The Once-ler's homecoming was supposed to be something great but it certainly did not turn out that way. Shopping bags from various uptown Thneedville stores littered the living room floor still looking as though their goods remained packaged within. Decades of living on his own made the young seeming man frown at the mess. He would have to talk to Ted about it. Maybe the pair could hire a maid if the kid was such a slob. They <em>were<em> living in Thneedville now after all. Where was the boy anyway? "Ted. I'm home." The suited man continued and ended his search in the kitchenette of the apartment. It was spotless, as the Once-ler liked it, but Ted sat quietly in a plastic chair moving his mouth and hands like he was rehearsing what to say but not liking how it sounded. He would get into it then drop his hands back down to the surface of the brown table and shake his head only to start all over again. "Ted?" The brunet gave a slight jump at his voice then settled back down to stare back down at his hands once more. The lanky man had not seen his lover this disgruntled since he stood him up the night after their first time. At least this time the kid was not sulking in their room and barely eating. "What's wrong?" He was not sure if he wanted to know what was troubling the boy. It did not have the look of a problem he could just throw money at until it crawled back into the deep black hole it spawned from.

Ted turned to trace clear brown eyes gently over his lover's face before responding, "I need to know what's going on between us. Are we just fucking around or are we... something more?" Blue-gray eyes just stared as if they had not thought of this before, like the idea of them being anything other than they were had not even crossed the tall man's mind. When no answer came, those brown eyes darted away in shame. "Sorry, it was stupid. I should've just kept my mouth shut. I don't-"

"Ted. Be quiet." The kid crossed his arms over his chest as though they could somehow protect him from the hurt this conversation could potentially inflict and slouched down into the chair probably in a hopeless attempt to become one with the plastic. How could Ted even ask him that? Why would he ask him that? There really was no question in the Once-ler's mind as to what Ted was to him. "What do you want us to be?" There, there was the nervousness the other was surely feeling. It was now making a heavy and fluttery home in the pit of the Once-ler's stomach too. Putting all of your faith in the desires of another was something the business man had hoped he was past but here he was asking a kid where they stood in their relationship. Dear Lorax, he hoped it was the right decision.

The boy shrunk further into his seat though the Once-ler was having trouble imagining how it was even possible. Tossing his rich top hat onto the cheap plastic counter, the suited man crossed the room to stand behind his love and placed a gloved hand on the boy's hunched shoulder reassuringly. The contact was as much for the lonely man's comfort as it was for the boy who would undoubtedly go to friends and family if this conversation went the wrong way. The Once-ler did not have long to plot his own escape route for a bad end to this relationship though. Ted spoke in a quiet, broken sounding voice, "I uh… I want to date you. You know, like be seen in public together and go do stuff and not see other people too... Um… I think they called it 'going steady' when you were my age… Ow!" The last exclamation was brought on by a swift thwack to the kid's head.

The older man hoped it knocked a few of his freckles loose too! "I am not that old, boy!" Ted let out a dismal breath of a chuckle that reminded the Once-ler that he had not answered Ted's inquiry. Long green arms wrapped awkwardly around both chair and boy as he said, "Of course I wanna date you Ted. So, are we like boyfriends now?" Boyfriends fell clumsily from his mouth after everything else formed so nicely. Dating another man was something he never dreamed of doing but it was not necessarily an idea he was against, especially if it meant being with Ted.

The kid turned in his grasp to straddle the chair and blue eyes noticed a brim of tears in their brown mates. "Only if you don't see Ms. Angel anymore." Angel. Angel. Angel, where _did _he know that name form? O'Hare's slutty secretary! How did Ted even know about her and why would he think the Once-ler wanted anything to do with the pair of tits in a mini skirt?

"What does Miss Wiles have to do with anything?" Ted examined his confused expression with suspicion. "I may have to see her professionally but I'll try not to. She isn't necessary to get what I need in the city. I'll just find someone else who knows where the king of the munchkins is…" The mind behind the knife sharp blue eyes whirred to life with possibilities but he knew it would not be easy to find O'Hare. The time he had already spent looking proved that much.

Ted relaxed in his grasp when he recognized the sincerity of his words. "I guess you can see her. She thinks you're together, you know?" The suited man made a gagging gesture eliciting a laugh from his lover and a playful jab at a green clothed shoulder. "She even bought a suit to match yours at one of those expensive clothing stores uptown. So did Tavin." A shift in the kid's demeanor took place making him look unsure and vulnerable again.

"Who the fuck is Tavin?"

Ted met the Once-ler's gaze with one forged from the permafrost of the depths of one of the world's poles. "Audrey's fiancé." The gold digger's fiancé was dressing like him. How long had that been happening? Then pieces began falling into place. Facts toppled over one another in the black haired man's mind until a mostly completed puzzle was laid out before him. This Tavin guy was the one who was messing with Ted and Erin thought he was the Once-ler. This just got really really interesting.

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><p>So yeah... That's that. Thanks for reading. The next chapter will make up for the shortness of this one if I have anything to say about it and I am the writer so I should definitely have a say!<p> 


	37. First Date

Disclaimer: If I owned "The Lorax" in any way, do you really think it would be the way it is? Really? I own nothing! Warning: Ted's mouth brings the rating of this one up again. Bad Ted! *Squirts with water bottle.* Also, I made up an utterly delicious sounding food while I was at work and shoved it in here cause I was hungry. Enjoy~

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><p>"Oncie!" No, don't even stir. Everyone who used that nickname meant trouble in the morning. The Once-ler remained as still as possible as his bed dipped to compensate for another weight. "C'mon Once, get up already!" It must be one of the twins, they always woke him up like this on holidays, he reasoned groggily. Bret and Chet would just have to wait a little while longer. "I swear to all things artificially manufactured that I will molest you in your sleep if you don't get the fuck out of bed in the next fifteen minutes." <em>That<em> was not one of his brothers. A pale blue eye peeked out between slitted lids to spy Ted perched excitedly on the side of the bed staring straight at his face. So much for pretending to be asleep. "Mornin' sleepy head," the brunet greeted with a smile. "Ready for our first date?" So that is how you get the kid out of bed before noon: bribe him with a date.

"Does't have to take place b'fore dawn?" came the tired reply from the still waking man. "What're we goin' ta do, fish?" How was the kid so lively this early? His brown eyes were wide and alert in a face that was perfectly fresh and clean. Silk boxers clung perfectly to an otherwise naked body. The pale light of early morning streamed through a crack in the bedroom curtains to paint a brilliant tan strip across the boy's toned chest.

The sight alone was enough to drive anyone to distraction. The Once-ler, however, was determined to give Ted his undivided attention. The kid _was_ up before noon after all. "Psh dawn. It's almost six thirty! Now get up or we'll miss it." Six thirty! The lanky man let out a groan and fell back onto the plush mattress taking the sheets with him to cover everything including the black mess of hair atop his head. Ted was having none of the lethargy today though and promptly confiscated the blankets in a brisk swipe declaring, "It's time to get up! C'mon Once." The blanket thief then promptly fled the scene of the crime with his booty leaving the Once-ler cold, tired, and most importantly, confused. Curiosity proved to be the best cure for a sleepy morning and soon escorted the black haired man into the strangely sweet smelling kitchenette of the apartment to join his lover whether or not the groggy headed man wanted to. Ted was still wearing as little as possible while he grabbed some water and air bottles along with some snacks. The boy turned as the Once-ler stretched his arms and back and let out an exaggerated yawn. "Good morning to you too. Are these bars good with you? I got peanut and jerky flavored ones." The Once-ler cringed a bit, these people and their weird foods.

"Yeah, that's fine. Can I know where we're goin' now?" Ted just smiled in response and grabbed a handful of cash to stuff in his wallet before connecting its chain to a pair of jeans and slipping the clothing on. The Once-ler rarely carried cash since his rise to the top. A precaution to getting mugged he had claimed though without any change, he had a perfect excuse not to slip a bill to lowly beggars. He could just refuse them or lie but he always got this bad feeling when he did stuff like that. It was much easier to ignore when he did not even have the opportunity to help them.

Breaking the Once-ler from his thoughts, Ted swayed over to place a kiss on his lips before answering, "We're going to Funtown Plaza. Now go put on some normal clothes. We gotta get there before seven and I wanna pick up some mulsch on the way." The Once-ler knew Funtown Plaza on one of the outskirts of town. It was a pretty nice sized expanse of colorful cement and fake foliage surrounded by snowy slopes and banks of sand that dropped into harmless looking waves. It even had one of those things people in Thneedville called aviaries where bright bundles of feathers were bound and suspended from false trees and sounds of the forest were played. It was not quite what the Once-ler remembered the forest to be but it was a peaceful atmosphere. Unfortunately, despite the tall man's knowledge, Ted still insisted on driving the firebird.

That was how he found himself in a faded pair of what Ted called skinny jeans and a feather grey sweatshirt sitting in the passenger seat eating the crispy confection with a custardy center called a mulsch. In the past few days, he learned that the kid loved the fried cone shaped food and that he shared that love as well. The odd warm crust and cool custard mixture sensation somehow went decidedly well with the buttery sweet taste of it all. The driver made a distressed noise that drew the other's attention from his breakfast to see the goofy kid trying to catch a broken off portion of pastry with his mouth. Every time he would tilt it towards his face, the loose piece would flap down and out of reach of even his outstretched tongue. The Once-ler chuckled before leaning over to break the offending bite off and pop it into his own mouth earning him an indignant huff from the other boy. "Sorry Ted but it seemed to be distracting you from the road and I don't want to die today." Ted pouted at that which made the passenger laugh even harder. "Oh come on Ted, you can have the last one." He offered with a twinkle of humor still in his eyes.

Ted stubbornly kept his gaze glued to the blue painted street. He grumbled out, "I'll tell you what you can do with your last one." At the chuckle that earned him, Ted stuffed the remainder of his meal into his mouth and slowly chewed through the enormous mouthful to swallow. What could be seen as an utterly barbaric gesture was just plain cute when coupled with Ted's childish pout. He looked so serious when driving that the Once-ler wondered how he could have ever crashed his speeder. The gears slid smoothly in the boy's grasp even on an incline which the Once-ler could admit, he still had trouble with. Suddenly, the car stopped and distracted blue eyes realized the shadow over them was a multilevel parking garage. Ted unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to return the gaze focused on him by blue eyes. "Well?" the boy asked expectantly.

"What? Are we parking? We could've made out in bed."

"Parking? You are so old man," Ted rolled his eyes and jabbed at the release button for his lover's seatbelt before opening the car door and climbing out.

The Once-ler untangled his body from the safety belt and reached to the handle on the door only to blush when it opened of its own accord. Ted was treating him like the girl! Despite his resentment of the gesture, the taller man accepted his companion's hand and assistance in climbing out of the vehicle. "Then what're we doin' here Ted?" He asked while rearranging the hem of his sweatshirt to keep the cold autumn's air from biting at his mid-section.

The brunet shushed him and tightened his grip on the pale hand before striding away with the taller man in tow as the car chirped its locked goodbyes. The teller gave them their parking ticket with a cheery tiding for them to enjoy the show which Ted returned another pleasant greeting about having a good holiday. The kid would not relinquish any information to his boyfriend about the 'show'. How would the garage worker even know about it if Ted was bringing him to see a show? What holiday was it anyways? The blue eyed man wracked his mind for answers but none came. He was led out into the light by the boy to find the streets oddly busy for this time of day. More wore the ruddy darker coats of factory workers than the Once-ler had ever seen in mid-city. This lower class gathering mingled seamlessly with just as anxious higher classed citizens. Even a number of pastel and white coats could be seen with the universal buzz of excitement that began to permeate into the pair of men as they wove their way through the crowds. Some moved with a purpose while others moseyed on with seemingly no particular direction in mind and more still just stood, glancing at watches as though waiting for something to start at a particular time. The tall lithe man could not help but check his own silver lined wrist watch. Seven to seven, he grinned at the oddly humorous time. Ted ran up to a wavy plastic bench just as a very round pink woman left it to chase after a toddler and climbed on to it waving for his lover to follow. The boy sat on the back railing with his feet on the seat of the bright red plastic.

After following the strange behavior of the boy the Once-ler finally asked again. "What're we doing here Ted?" He glanced nervously at a bunch of rough looking dark coated men who smirked in their direction. Why did it always seem like thugs could smell rich people? Ted just held his hand again loosely, on his jean clad lap this time.

With one dark grey gloved finger held before his pink lips, the boy said, "The first rule is that no one can talk about it. Just calm down, there hasn't been a murder here for weeks." The hand moved to cover that pink lipped smile as the boy laughed at him. So Ted had noticed how tense he was. Did people really die here? With a renewed vigor, the taller man whipped his head around to survey the surrounding crowds for any threat. Though there was a lot of excitement in everyone here, no one appeared edgy, like there was something to fear, so he let tense muscles loosen and scowled at his pesky boyfriend who was failing at hiding how funny he thought the Once-ler's paranoid actions were. "C'mon Once, can't we just enjoy the crisp morning air?" The Once-ler gave a start at this statement. No one here was the least bit worried about air pollution and he could immediately tell why. This place had a fresh air supply. Most of the outdoor parks had systems to keep them habitable enough for guests to enjoy them but this plaza was not one of them. No one had masks but still the air was fresh enough and smelled mostly of the manufactured foods side street vendors were peddling. Someone was spending quite a bit to keep this area's air breathable for so many eager people and the puzzled man soon found out why. The usual clamor of a crowded street died down just before seven then music that almost sounded like the beginning to the song "Funky Town" began to play and random strangers began to sing in harmony, casting aside their coats to expose all vibrant colored clothes and smiling faces.

"In Thneedville, It's a brand new da-a-a-a-awn."

The group of down-towners that had smirked at him before were all now beaming up at him as they sung along in their pinks and greens and yellows and blues.

"With brand new cars, and houses and lawns.

Here in got-all-that-we-need-ville.

In Thneedville, we manufacture our tree-e-e-e-es.

Each one is made in factorieees.

And uses 96 batteries!

In Thneedville, the air can cause disease.

So, we make it fresh each day

And put it in Biggering Inc. treeeees!

It's Satisfactions-guaranteed-ville!

In Thneedville, we don't want to know

Where the smog and trash, and chemicals go.

(Just don't eat any glowing snow)

In Thneedville we have fun year-round;

We surf and snowboard right in town.

We thank plastic for all we've got,

Including this brand new parking lot!

PARKING LOT! Pa-a-a-arking lot!"

Ted had stood up on the bench somewhere during the song and had his leather jacket peeled off to expose an orange and red striped T-shirt layered over a yellow sweatshirt. He was now singing, nudging the Once-ler and focusing his grinning face at the still rather shocked man,

"Today it's

Our city's Founder's Da-a-a-a-ay!

(Founder's Day!)

The day when the city was renamed

After the Once-ler's thnee-e-e-e-ed,"

This was sung as more of a jeer by Ted as he pinched his boyfriend's cheek.

"An invention, everyone neeeeeds!

We celebrate,

Though the founder's long go-o-o-one,"

The kid's face turned a red to match his shirt as he tried his hardest not to laugh at this part. The Once-ler narrowed his eyes, realizing how hysterical the kid must think all this is.

"And keep carrying oooon.

In Thneedville, we love living this way.

(IT'S PERFECT!)

The whole cast of singers did an exaggerated fist pump.

And that's how it will stay!

Here in Love-The-Life-We-Lead-Ville,

Destined-To-Succeed-Ville,

We-Are-All-Agreed-Ville!

We've got all we need in

Thhhhh-THNEEDVILLE!"

After the last sentence left the singers mouths, jackets and coats were pulled back on and the crowd began moving along as if nothing had happened. The music was gone as though it never had played and the Once-ler could almost convince himself that he had imagined it but even _his_ imagination was not that good. Ted was still gleaming with joy when the Once-ler scooped the boy close and started kissing him right in the middle of the city, standing on a bench.

Ted broke the kiss after a moment shaking a bit in what the Once-ler assumed was the rush of singing in a crowd like that. "So, I take it you liked that?" instead of answering, the taller man pulled the kid in for another peck on the lips. The brunet pretended to think for a moment. "So next, you wanna go swimmin'?" He chuckled when black brows knitted together in confusion earning him a shove than nearly sent him tumbling off of the bench. Ted caught his boyfriend's arm to steady himself. "Woah! Alright, alright, no swimming," he chided cheekily. "How about… a gallery?" This time, he seemed a bit unsure.

The Once-ler hopped of the bench and took the other by his waist to hoist him to the ground, trying his hardest at getting his manly footing back after the horrid display in the parking garage. "That sounds wonderful Ted. Please, lead the way." Ted grabbed his hand to pull him through the clusters of people still on the streets to a big colorful building with murals of O'Hare, the founder of Biggering Inc. and a man in the Once-ler's suit. Even the galleries here revered good business. Once they were in the quiet, warm, sweet smelling gallery, Ted paid for the admission, since they only took cash, and led him further from the doors to the busy plaza. The taller man leaned close to his boyfriend to speak tough the building was mostly deserted, "I did not know you were a singer. What was that anyway?"

Ted turned to him, surprised, "You've never heard of a flash mob? I mean, you sing all the time: when you are telling boring stories to little kids, right before you screw those kids, and Air knows when else! Flash mobs were so common when I was a kid that I assumed they were always around. I haven't seen one since they changed the time from ten to seven so factory workers could do 'em again." Ted's smile fell into a perplexed look. "What do people do in these places anyway?" Brown eyes glanced around at the various paintings and sculptures looing utterly lost.

"Aw, you like me. Bringing me to places that obviously make you uncomfortable…. Clearly, you like me… a little, right?" The Once-ler let the unsure hope shine through his voice in the question.

Ted just chuckled again and pulled the other down to his level by black hair for a quick kiss. "Of course I like you, you're my boyfriend. Now what do we do… here?" The boy's very voice deflated in the last word along with a hopeless hand gesture showing his lover just how lost he was in this surrounding.

A pale hand took one of the grey gloved ones in its grasp, "Well Teddy, we look at the art." Both could see this was going to be a pretty interesting day, and it had only just started. Their time in the gallery was mostly spent cracking jokes about some of the artwork and by the Once-ler explaining the various techniques used in creating the pieces. The art itself seemed the same as in every other museum but the company was infinitely better than visiting the building alone. It was by far the best time the tall man had ever had in a gallery. "So what's next?" he asked the kid as they returned to the entrance.

"Oh, I thought we'd go to the street fair." Brown eyes twinkled as Ted mentioned a place more in his area of expertise.

The Once-ler shrugged. "What street fair?"

Ted held the door open for his boyfriend as they walked back onto the plaza, "This one." The Once-ler could not believe it. In the few hours they had spent in the gallery, the whole block had been filled with booths for games and food vendors. There was music playing from a stage and people dancing. "Having the flash mob so early also gives them a chance to set it up. What d'ya wanna do first?" Those mischievous eyes that seemed to hold the Once-ler's attention so much today lit up with excitement. His fate was decided then, he would do whatever the boy wanted…

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><p>First off. I am NOT a song writer. I cannot even write poems so the parts of the song that I change may not go with the rhythm and all, so sorry. I wanted to make it 'fit' with the story. Happy Canada Day guys... This was written because yesterday, I celebrated United State's Independence Day and I wanted the guys to get a holiday. Also, the beginning of the story failed to mention this but it is fall... just saying. That is what I say, and I rule this fanfiction so ha!<p>

In this one, I ripped off a joke from fight club, but hey, who doesn't? Does anyone else think this song's beat vaguely resembles "Funky Town" at the beginning... Anyone?

The guys may be kind of ooc but whatever. I thought it was cute. Special thanks to Jessycakes: She reassured me that posting this would be okay... Thanks Jessy, I appreciate it. ^.^

This chapter and probably at least one to follow will be filler. It is not because I do not have the plot planned out. It is because the plot cannot move THAT fast. It just cannot. I needed more... fluff... Thanks for providing it Teddy! I hope you guys enjoy. Please let me know what you thought of my attempt at fluff... ^.^; Hehe...


	38. A bit of manly competition

Disclaimer: Even after such a long absence, I still do not own the Lorax.

Warning: Guys kissing in public and me ragging on male ego... Sorry, this is kind of OOC but I thought it was cute.

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><p>Ted was ready to dance with joy when Once-ler consented to staying at the fair but since he had already made enough of a fool of himself singing this morning, he settled for dragging his still dazed boyfriend along to choose which booths they would be visiting. The first one the Oncer pointed to with interest turned out to be a darts booth with neon colors brightened in a canopy's shade by black lights. Lining up at the required distance Ted estimated how long it had been since he played darts. Surely almost ten years by now. Did the Once-ler own a darts board? He would surely beat the boy if he did.<p>

The first thunk thunk of the pointed neon projectiles hitting the far boards answered Ted's question with a resounding no as Once-ler's bright green dart found a home in the bottom far reaches of the board making the taller man laugh with a feint pink staining his cheeks. "Must've been longer than I thought since I've played," the older man admitted.

Much to his own surprise, Ted laughed too. He spied his own dart as far from the center as it was from the edge of the circles, commenting, "Me too. I don't think I've played darts since I was a kid."

Thunk thunk, the next round of their darts faired only a little better than the first but the Once-ler's laugh filled the small enclosure more than ever. "You still are a kid, Ted. You're what, eighteen? Oh truffula, I'm a pedophile aren't I?" The blue eyed man did not seem nearly as worried about that statement as his words suggested as his chuckle continued to resonate to Ted's ears.

It was the brunet's turn to blush now as he turned to his lover who was staring intently at the board ready to launch his third strike. "I am not a kid and I'm nineteen thank you very much." His voice nearly covered the feint thuds of the darts. The two readied the fourth assault knowing their dart skills left much to be desired. Ted's own orange darts had not even made it to the second innermost circle, only landing in the third, fourth, and fifth ones. Before the release, Ted shot a remark at his boyfriend in jest, "But no matter how old I am, you're still a pedophile." Both men had thrown but Ted only saw his own dart stick in the board. Where was Oncie's? A glance down showed the plastic green sprig decorating the ground like a tiny tree. He turned to the man who had thrown it to see blue eyes wide and staring forward in an even paler than usual face. "Once? Woah, hey, are you alright?" He gently tugged at the man's sweater which drew that far away frosty gaze onto him.

"Good Golly, I am a pedophile aren't I?" The Once-ler said in a daze.

The words were worried, lost, desperate even but Ted could not help his laughter. Ted tossed his final dart, not looking where it landed, knowing no matter where it stuck he would not have enough points to reap any reward. He pushed money forward along with the last of the Once-ler's darts to draw the pale man out back into the simulated sunlight. "Hey, don't worry about it." He grabbed the other man's face to draw it down in front of his own, disregarding the crowds drifting past them to focus on his distraught boyfriend. "I'm of age and you don't look much older than me anyway. No one will question it and we love each other. Who cares about any of the rest?" Blue eyes came back to reality to focus on brown.

A small smile came to the taller man's face with a sigh. "I guess you're right. As long you don't care about it, neither do I." After sharing a brief kiss the two made off for the next destination at the fair.

This one was Ted's choice and he had spotted it before the pair even approached the neon darts. The Once-ler stared up to gape at the giant plastic inflatable. "What in the name of the lifted Lorax is this?" The black haired man asked as someone helped him get strapped into a harness.

Ted grinned across a short wall of nylon mesh at him, "It's a race of course!"

"Does everything have to be a race with you?" The Once-ler grumbled tugging at the thick bungee cord attached to the back of his harness. Twenty feet away, Frisbees were attached in the boy's corresponding colors. Ted's was red while his was a very fitting green. Apparently, the winner could keep the Frisbee as a prize. The game's tenant gave the count down and the boys were off. Neither realized what a challenge the race along the bouncy track would be until they started. The Once-ler's first instinct was to run down the plastic track but apparently Ted had tried jumping which sent the inflated surface lurching knocking both men from their feet. The Once-ler felt the smooth material rush under him as his bungee cord pulled him back towards the start of the race. Gangly limbs fumbled to find footing, fabric of socks and pants slipping on the smooth inflated track. On his feet, the Once-ler's eyes darted a glance at his opponent to see the kid in a similar state if not quite as steady on his feet yet.

With gritted teeth the tall businessman bounded toward the far end of the track only to find the bungee's resistance was more extreme than he expected. His progress was slow coming but he kept a foot as firmly planted on the unpredictable plastic as possible at all times. Ted was ahead of him, almost at the far end when an idea hit the entrepreneur. Blue eyes lit up deviously as he went to the mesh screen between the two and took a firm hold on the ropes there. With one heavy footed jump on the Once-ler's part the whole inflatable rocked and shuddered pulling Ted back halfway to the starting point. Before the kid had a chance to fully recuperate, the Once-ler started forward again and grabbed his Frisbee bouncing passed Ted with a grin on his face as every footfall caused tremors that made the kid stumble to his knees all over again. Of course the Once-ler was declared the winner about the time Ted was almost back to the far wall making the younger boy's face scrunch up in what the blue eyed man decided was a completely adorable way especially since he won.

Ted continued his pout even as the two caught their breath from the exertion and pulled their shoes back on. The elder could not help but laugh as he attempted to coax the boy into speaking. Even offering to let the kid pick the next booth did nothing to help his tight lips loosen. Something attracted the attention of clear blue orbs and the old man firmly took a hold of the stubborn child to drag him to the perfect remedy for Ted's wounded pride. "Win me a fish," The taller man grinned down at his boyfriend.

"What makes you think I can get one of these balls into one of those bowls, huh?" Ted huffed out in his aggravation. "Why don't you just win your own since you're _so _good at these games?" The kid refused to even look at the game set up now.

The Once-ler shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the response, and paid for a game of his own. Not really trying, he tossed the balls in generally the direction of the mechanical fish bowls but as the balls landed far from his prize giggles erupted from girls nearby. The laughter brought a blush to his cheeks, making him really try but his aim was terrible after years of not tossing anything. As balls missed terribly with only the occasional graze or bounce against glass bowls, the determined man paid for more and more rounds of balls as the small flock of girls just shy of Ted's age laughed at him. Growls and huffs at his many failures eventually drew brown eyes to watch the rather humorous spectacle.

Ted stepped up behind him grabbing his arm just before he released his newest projectile. "Let me try Once," The boy merely stepped forward to the shooting line and tossed the ball forward to clop into the purified water of a bowl with a pretty green and blue mechanical angel fish. The booth operator's laughter was cut off as surely as with a sharp knife when he realized Ted's aim was not nearly as bad as his companion's. The bright green midtown man scowled as he fished out the pretty contraption to put it in a bag for Ted. "We have one ball left. Do you want to do it?" The boy asked his lover.

"I dunno. I don't think I can get it in." The stain on the Once-ler's face darkened as he admitted it. Ted definitely had tremendous aim. Not only could he win fish at street fairs but he could throw rocks through high windows in failing light. "You should do it, Ted." He sounded pathetic even to his own ears but Ted only adopted a new pursed lip look, this one speculative.

"Three more balls please," He fished out the money handing it to the green man but remained focused on his boyfriend the whole while. The girls remained staring at the two as Ted turned the Once-ler back toward the fish bowls. Tanned hands placed a ball into pale ones before Ted began coaching him through the throw. "First: Relax, if you are too tense and upset over the other shots you'll never make it. Second: Pick a bowl in the middle, it should be easier to get at least one if there are others around your target." The taller man sniffed at that. The green one Ted got had been on the very edge, certainly because it was the only way Ted could be sure of the color of fish he was getting. "Third: You just sort of pull back and release as your hand passes you. C'mon, you can do this." Ted had even positioned his lover and guided him through the steps. Once-ler had never felt so very embarrassed. His first throw definitely flew more true than the others had but still he missed with the light ball plinking delicately off the side of a bowl eliciting awes from the surrounding girls. "Relax, Oncie, you can do this," A soothing hand rubbed over the Once-ler's arm as the blue eyed man took a deep breath in preparation for his next pitch. Just as Ted had showed him, the Once-ler lined up his shot and threw. He nearly stopped breathing as the ball clopped down into a bowl in the center next to the one he was aiming for. The girls cheered and clapped as Ted pulled him into a congratulatory hug that somehow ended in a kiss that drew gasps from all around. "I knew you'd eventually get _it_ in the hole," the younger man chuckled lowly bringing out a new blush on his lover's cheeks.

"Ted?" A dazed voice cracked, breaking he two men apart to glance in the direction of the crowd of girls even though the voice belonged to a boy. Ted smiled sheepishly at the boy who looked maybe a couple of years younger than him. "You- you told me to come and meet you b-but I didn't expect this. Uh.. Who is this?" The boy drew close to look down at Ted before glancing up mere inches at the Once-ler.

Ted chuckled grumbling, "Just my luck." He went on in a more jovial tone however. "Hehe. Hey Wes. Uh, this is actually my boyfriend, the Once-ler. Once, this is Wesley, my friend. So, since everyone is introduced, is everyone ready for the picnic?" He accentuated the question by hefting up his backpack filled with strange flavored food bars, a Frisbee, and now two fish.

Wes carefully scrutinized the Once-ler before nodding distractedly. "Mom got the spot already but everyone else is running sorta late. Apparently R.J. didn't tell EatR that we were going out so Dad went over there to try to coax here out." Wes frowned and turned to his friend nervously scratching the back of his head. "You aren't gonna stay right? I don't mind if you do or anything but I can't see the two of you wanting to-"

"If Oncie doesn't mind, we'll stay. It has been a while since I've seen you in action. We'll see." Ted put an arm around the younger boy's shoulders and grabbed his boyfriend's hand, escorting them both away from the bustle of the street fair and into a park.

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><p>I am back bearing a bit of fluff. This is why I should never be allowed to write about things I know nothing about. The sex seemed to go well enough so I decided to try my hand at a street festival too. Well, this is what happened. Sorry if the boys do not act quite right but this was a birthday present to me so meh. New chapter should be up before next week but I do have quite a bit to do so we will see.<p>

I hope I did not lose my readers... Thanks for all of the lovely reviews in my absence. Wow, so many! O.O; Love you guys. I hope the storm did not pester too many of you... Isaac was so not fun...

m

V

Sad attempt at a heart on here...


	39. Family Picnic

Disclaimer: Why would I really own any of this now? Really? Warning: I don't think there's anything worthy of a warning other than some possibly bad grammar in a fluffy outer coating of OOCness. I wrote this late at night...

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><p>Ted was introducing him to his friends? Wow, this kid went fast. Well, they had started their relationship in bed, so there was not much more intimate than that, right? Wrong. The Once-ler did not know what to expect when meeting the important people in Ted's life, but for some reason this did not seem to be it.<p>

The place that Wesley's mom had picked out was a large expanse of manufactured grass on the crest of a small hill with a lovely view of the park's pond. It already had the customary red and white checkered sheets laid out that the blue eyed man never realized actually existed other than in the movies. Two women dressed in the bright colors of mid Thneedville lounged languidly in between laughter and readying what looked like the largest picnic the Once-ler had ever seen at one time. Thick slices of a plethora of sandwich meats were all laid out with an assortment of rolls as well as something that Once-ler could imagine was his own mother's potato salad. Several jelly dishes that were so common in Thneedville laid about like colorful butterflies just resting on the sheets. One woman was Helen Wiggins with her snowy white curls close to her face making the large pink squares hanging from her ears that much more vibrant.

The other woman, after awkwardly friendly introductions, turned out to be Wesley's mother, Rose. This woman still had brown hair though she was only a few years short of Helen's age raising suspicions of unnatural coloring. She wore a blue that almost clashed with her friend in pink. She was amazingly warm and inviting as soon as the Once-ler was introduced and very accepting of the boys being together leading the businessman to believe Ted had spoken of him to these people before introducing them. Rose's eyes kept giving the dating men almost sad looks that the Once-ler did not dare point out to his boyfriend or any of the strangers. Those nerve wracking looks faded into nonexistence in less than a second when Ted pointed out a group approaching.

One wore a yellow suit that would fit right in with Wesley's mother though their son's clothes were dark like Ted's. He was introduced as Dan while Eterna shot a few cutting remarks at the beast of a man who dragged her around like the doll that she so closely resembled. The girl looked ready to bite R.J. but he just ignored her with smiles and hellos for 'Mama Rose'. The Once-ler was compelled to wonder if everyone here was related in some way but quickly dismissed the idea hoping Ted would clue him into information like that.

With everyone settled down, the older women began a full force verbal assault on Eterna asking where her Founder's Day dress was and why she was only half dressed then assuring the girl that she was quite lovely even without fresh makeup. Helen ended the strange little tirade with, "You could do worse you know, at least you are wearing makeup, though it does look a bit streaky. Did you sleep in it dear? Oh, no matter, it is not as though there is anyone here that you really need to be worrying you pretty little head about impressing." With the last sentence, Ted's mother sent an appraising look to R.J. that made the Once-ler wonder if she was as senile as he initially thought she was. Rose's head might as well have been connected to that white head of hair as her attention shifted to the huge man as well. Ted and Wesley noted the gesture with confused expressions while R.J. and Dan stuffed their faces with what ever food was unfortunate enough to land in their hands first.

The women turned their attention back to Eterna who looked as though she had been dragged out of her bed crying to be brought here. She shrugged dejectedly and tried to shift attention onto Ted, "So Teddy. You bring the goods?" If Helen and Rose did not look so comfortable with that statement, the Once-ler would have been sure the working girl was asking his boyfriend if he brought drugs to a family picnic.

Ted blushed at the girl's question breaking off his own quiet conversation with Wesley to glance at his boyfriend with a paniced look. "Well I did, but thy might not have come out as good as normal. You see-"

"Unless your stove caught on fire, I don't want to hear it. Hand 'em over," She held out a soft hand to the boy who was now rummaging through his knapsack and haphazardly knocking snack bars onto the ground.

R.J. chortled at this, "You don't bake on a stove plastic head. You bake in an oven, right Ted?" The monstrous man leaned towards Ted in a way that made the Once-ler wonder whether the man was still upset about Ted hitting him. The blue eyed man could not fathom why Ted would remain friends with a man like that. Just the way he was man handling Eterna earlier made Once-ler certain that the man used his brutish strength to get whatever he wanted from people. Surely Helen and Rose were not the type of women to associate with bullies of that sort. Maybe they all put up with him for Eterna's sake.

Lost in his thoughts, the Once-ler missed most of the couple's argument on cookware but he was brought back as a loaf of homemade bread distracted the two from their yelling and possibly even their breathing. "This is all you'll get until you finish your lunch." Ted seemed serious as he gave the two childish adults a level look before his eyes met the Once-lers bringing a new flush to his cheeks. The kid seemed flustered as he diverted his attention to dividing the loaf of bread up until everyone had a piece. The Once-ler received the last one along with Ted sitting next to him saying, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to."

The Once-ler had to smile at the suddenly bashful boy. He plucked a bit of the dark swirled bread off of his slice and popped it into his mouth rather shocked by the odd choice of spices that were mixed throughout. It was not bad by any means. In fact, the blend of flavors meshed very well together. The Once-ler had to throw his arm around his lover's shoulders and pull him close to whisper in his ear, "I didn't know you baked," careful not to graze his lips against Ted's nearly red ear.

"It's horrible, I knew it," The embarrassed boy mumbled.

The dark clad trio responded with a well-rehearsed chorus of, "Shut up Ted."

Rose chuckled taking another bite of her own piece that she had slathered a brightly colored jelly over before saying with a full mouth, "Must we do this every time you try a new recipe. It is fine Ted but you really ought to have brought something sweeter."

Dan nudged his wife's leg with his foot, "He could have brought a jar full of sugar and it still wouldn't of been sweet enough for you, Mama Rose," He too had a jelly on his bread though it was a different color than Rose's.

With Ted still blushing and hiding his face in his own slice of the baked good, the Once-ler spoke up, "Well I like it."

An uproarious laughter took up the crowd on the blanket and Wesley shouted over the adult's cackle's, "Well you better or you'd get kicked off the blanket."

Rose sobered up quickly at her son's comment, "Wesley! How many times do I have to tell you? _This_ is a picnic sheet!"

R.J. snapped his fingers sassily at the boy, "Oh no! You did not just insult this woman's picnic sheet."

"For shame!" Ted cried out, forgetting his previous embarrassment, and laughter enveloped the party once more, this time taking the Once-ler along with it. Smiles came easily with these people and jokes flowed more than the purified water Helen had brought to the gathering. No one was spared. Everyone got small doses of humility but it was nothing like what the Once-ler remembered a family being like. No one here was competing to be the best and no one was singled out as the worst. R.J. was mocked for his muscle laden body. Eterna, for being romantically involved with her motorcycle that the Once-ler learned was actually named Hunkling. Helen received jokes about her advancing age while Mama Rose was accused of being too involved with everyone's lives. Apparently Dan had a habit of forgetting things. Ted was teased for leaving town without telling anyone while the Once-ler was sucked in on whatever they could get him on. Having money was made funny as well as living outside the city.

Eterna laughed between bites of sandwich, "Even," A deep breath taken in, "Even his face is pale. I doubt he ever needed to bleach it!" A round of laughter spread around.

By this time the welcoming group had pulled the Once-ler in and he was willing to even joke about himself, "It's a good thing I am too, cause there ain't no way I'm wear'in some pastel suit!" a pause in the laughter almost killed his good mood reminding him of how his brothers always said he wasn't funny before a loud guffaw took over which he joined in on only a little half-heartedly.

The meal had been over a short while by this point with Wes nervously glancing down the hill in increasing increments. "She's not coming, is she Mom?" Though the high school student did not seem surprised by this mystery girl's absence, he still showed enough disappointment.

For the first time since the beginning of the picnic everyone stopped smiling. Rose looked down on the field around the pond past other families gathered to run, play, or picnic on the holiday with the same disappointment on her face. "It doesn't seem so. Audrey, she must be busy."

A short look around revealed that the whole group was examining the crowds around the pond except for Ted who was pretending to be preoccupied with sorting the contents of his knapsack. At least the Once-ler assumed he was feigning his fascination of the contents. "Well I got something that might wipe that frown from you face, Wes." Everyone turned to the freckled boy. "I made lava whojamadinkies!" Wes's eyes actually lit up at this announcement though Once-ler was thoroughly confused by it. "And you can even have hers. Everyone else can fight over Tavin's."

R.J. nearly choked on air. "You made a serving for the enemy?" Ted's brow furrowed with a bemused expression as he shot a glance at his lover and began passing around tightly wrapped tiny circular cakes.

Dan gave the Once-ler a very serious look, "These are good." The severity in his voice nearly made it all seem like a joke to the Once-ler but the way Eterna delicately unwrapped hers to slowly peck at it told him there was something different about these lava whatever Ted had called them. The first bite of the chocolate morsel confirmed his suspicions as he broke through a thin layer of hardened chocolate hidden beneath the moist cake to feel warm chocolate ganache dripping down his chin.

Ted chuckled as he wiped his lover's chin clean with his thumb before sucking the appendage. After popping his finger out of his mouth he announced, "They may be a bit over cooked I-"

Again, he was interrupted but this time it was only R.J. berating the kid, "Ted, they're fine. Like Wes said, if your boyfriend doesn't like 'em, he can get the hell offa Mama Rose's sheet things."

The blue eyed man chuckled as he tried to keep the chocolate lava in its cakey home, "Yeah, calm down kid. Rose didn't even complain about the sugar content this time." This brought a new bout of laughter.

Eterna looked around, licking her fingers clean of any chocolate her lips may have missed before. "So who gets the last lava whozamawhatzit?" Was that the same thing Ted had called it?

Rose smiled at the others and Dan nodded followed only a millisecond later by R.J., "You take it dear," The blue clad woman told the girl currently hugging her jeaned legs now that her treat was gone.

She looked at Ted and the Once-ler for the briefest of moments unsurely but as the Once-ler smiled at her, Ted picked up the pastry to hand it to her. Again, Once-ler got the feeling that there was something he was not getting. Eterna's hand left her bracelet to accept the cake then just looked at it before smiling and unwrapping it to take an enormous, definitely unfeminine, bite that neither Rose nor Helen had a thing to say about.

As Eterna ate, Dan glanced at his watch, "You better get going Wes, or you'll be late."

The boy frowned for a brief moment before staggering to his feet. He shook each leg briefly to get feeling back after sitting so long. "So, are you coming Ted? I mean you don't have to or anything, it isn't like Audrey or Buddy are even going to be there."

Ted opened his mouth but before he even got a chance to answer, Once-ler chimed in, "We'll be there." He did not know where they we going but it was important to the younger boy. He was not about to deny Wes having his family present for something important to him. The Once-ler knew far too much about that to let it happen to this boy.

The smile Wesley shot him back was enough of a reason to go. It was just like every other that day but it no longer had the worry of Audrey not showing up. It was all because Ted was there and he was going to be present at whatever it was that important to Wes.

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><p>So, I no longer really care if the character's are OOC. Ted is no officially a baker in this fanfiction just cause I say so and I just inserted OC's in this chapter. Honestly though, only two OCs actually made an appearance in this chapter so that isn't so bad...<p>

I love you guys, thank you for your continued support. Also, I am proud to announce a new round of questions! Wooo! (you have no idea how happy this makes me).

Are Ted and the Once-ler gay? Well, the Once-ler's sexuality has not been announced in the story but Ted is bisexual. They both bone guys so that's that. How do you say EatR? I, personally, think it Eater. I never really say it because all of the OCs are exclusive to this story and I never really speak about this verbally. It was supposed to be a play on a joke some guys used to make about a girl at school. They at first called her Eat-her because she was apparently very easy but since my culture tends to slur words it ended as EatR. It is supposed to be the men at the track making fun of her profession but she took it on as a nickname instead of letting it get to her... I like making back stories that you will never hear. Next question! Can you tell me exactly what is going on in Thneedville's business world? No, I am not sure that I can. Most everyone is pretending to play nicely while thinking up new and creative ways to destroy their rivals. That is about it. Who was the chick in the office? and What was the green thing on O'Hare's desk? kind of go together so I will answer them that way. Go back in the story and think of all the slutty chicks. Since two of them were in the room and the 'mystery' on was not EatR... guess... The thing on the desk is something that appears in both the book and the new movie but I am not certain of the third one. That is the only hint I am giving till the Once-ler realizes it has been stolen. Where is this story going, aren't you done yet? The point of this story was not the guys having sex. It is about the Once-ler not being able to age. That is the big resolution not the guys making up or falling in love even though that is fun. How come Erin doesn't know O'Hare is dead yet? (Is O'Hare dead?) Mwahahaha.

End of question time for now. Thank you for your continued support. I hope I do not lose you guys before the end. Imma have ta do a head count after this... Thanks guys!


	40. Winding Down Comfortably

Disclaimer: I sill disclaim this. Warning: Someone somewhere curses like three times. I want to say it was R.J... Bad boy...

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><p>Ted could not believe how well the day had gone. The Once-ler seemed to really enjoy every part of it. It seemed that at every turn, a chance for the Once-ler to bring up areas where he was lacking was there but the tall blue eyed business man never did. He claimed to like Ted's baking even. On top of it all, the older man said they would be able to go watch Wes swim. The Once-ler slipped into the group seamlessly and shrugged off the stupid jokes that were cast about constantly even if they were directed at him. Ted had even heard the Thneedville men discussing the boys' relationship.<p>

Wes was kind of surprised to find the two kissing in public even though R.J. had already let Ted's significant other's gender slip out at the tracks. Wes told his parents of course which led to a lengthy phone conversation with Mom that was of course a well-kept secret that only missed Once-ler's ears on its tour around town. If Mom wanted grandkids, Mama Rose would probably give her Wes's first born in exchange for Ted's happiness. It was made clear to everyone that Mama Rose believed that the thing between Ted and the Once-ler was just a fling, something to help the younger get over his recently lost love. Surprisingly, the other adults did not agree. Mr. Dan went as far as to say that after years of pining for the distracted red haired girl, Ted finally realized it was something else he wanted. Mom seemed to think that the Once-ler was some sort of knight from a fairytale ready to take her son off into the sunset.

The young swimmer scoffed between bites of vegetable jelly as he gossiped quietly with R.J. and Mr. Dan during the picnic. "I know you guys told me what to expect but somehow I didn't think they'd be kissing yet." The boy frowned and Ted wondered if all of the green in his face was really caused by the pollution.

The man in bright yellow chuckled a bit before answering his son while dipping his third or fourth slice of Ted's bread into banana flavored mush. "Get your head outta high school, Wes. Ted and his friend are adults, things move differently for them." The eavesdropping freckled brunet could have gaped at the man. That must have been the first time any of the older group members referred to him as an adult. The age gap between even him and EatR seemed substantial though it was less than a handful of years. There was more of a difference between her and R.J. and an even greater span from Wes's parents to the giant motorcyclist. For once, none of those years seemed so long. Even Wes would be old too soon.

The youngest member of the group spoke up, mumbling into his final slice of Ted's bread, "I guess but doesn't it seem weird to you guys? Ted being with a guy and all. I wouldn't know what to do with all that."

The older men both laughed, R.J.'s voice thundering louder than Ted thought it really should, "Well, it's a good thing you aren't his shoes then, isn't it?" The man's voice lowered back to a conversational tone at a harsh look from the Once-ler and the women. "Give him a break. Once-ler may be crazy but he's alright. Plus, he makes Ted smile and there's nothing wrong with that. I admit that I was pretty surprised when I realized Ted really liked the guy but whatever makes the kid happy." R.J. dipped his spoon right into the mayonnaise and synthetic meat mixture to eat it bringing to mind the time Mama Rose threatened to chop off all the man's fingers, toes, and tongue for a similar occurrence.

Wes looked around kind of nervously but did not find anyone obviously listening to them. "Mom says it is all about- about sex to help Ted get over Audrey." Wes's face showed just how he felt about the image of the two men together in bed. Ted was so happy Wes was not there when the other two walked in on him naked.

Dan adopted his serious face that everyone knew meant he was telling the complete and utter truth, "You're mother is not always right Wesley." The man was always joking so without his mannerisms changing, the group would probably never be able to tell what was joke and what was real without that look.

"Blasphemy!" R.J. shouted in a hushed voice turning to regard Ted who was pretending to be enthralled by the women's conversation. "Wes, if it was just sex, Ted wouldn't care what the guy thought of his breads. Trust me, I know all about this one. When there is a chick- or anyone you really want to be with, stupid shit that never bothered you before seems inadequate to even let them see. It really sucks when you know you fucked up with them and even if there is no way to fix it, you still don't want them to see the crappy shit about you." Ted had never seen the rough man ever give two shits about a girl. One of EatR's favorite jokes was that the man always paid for sex instead of even trying to ask a normal girl out. Ted wondered who the mystery chick was that R.J. had lost.

Wes seemed to accept this with a glazed over look while Mr. Dan just smiled warmly in his wife's direction. Everyone knew that even if Mama Rose was not always right, she was just right for Mr. Dan.

Ted glanced at his watch in the men's silence. Mama Rose had said that Audrey was supposed to show up thirty minutes ago. She seemed to be standing up Wes more and more since Tavin came along. Hours later, Ted lowered his watch. It was far past time when Audrey should have arrived, now she would miss the whole race. Ted grabbed the Oncer-ler's arm with a silent gesture through the bustling crowd to point out his friend standing in a line with the other swimmers next to the roped off pond. The blue eyed man nodded excitedly, only jumping a little when R.J. laid an enormous hand on his shoulder to squint over the throng at the person Ted noiseless claimed was Wes. The hand slid off in a comfortable way and the giant gave a curt nod. There were no glazed over looks on Wes's face now only the stark concentration of a true racer. If Mama Rose would let him on a bike, Wes could surely become one of the best but sometimes it was just better to never get mixed up with stuff like that. EatR's missing finger was a definite sign attesting to that.

The gathering quieted as a greying green tinged man climb onto a dais to announce that this was the official mid-city match to determine who would be racing in Thneedville's yearly tricolored race. The young swimmers all nodded to one another in recognition though most sent Wes lingering glances. Wes was all concentration once again. The announcer also pointed out that the tricolored race was against down and uptown Thneedville's schools. It would be a relay styled triathlon just like every other year.

With that done, he called for the swimmers to take their positions, each kid crouching down as if they were born to do this. Ted had no doubts that Wes was brought into existence for the sole reason of swimming. _I hope he didn't eat too much. _With that thought a shrill whistle launched the swimmers into the water. Most glided expertly through the pond that was segmented by ropes, not even coming up for air until they were almost a quarter through the race already. Wes was almost halfway across before surfacing and it seemed to take only a matter of seconds for the boy to overcome the others and reach the other side. Sure there were three kids right behind Wes but they probably did not live in the slightly tainted water as Ted's friend did. Only seconds more had the group surrounding the shivering high schooler while everyone within a ten foot radius tried to congratulate him. Girls from Wes's swimming team gave him full smiling hugs and boys, just as gleeful pats on the back. They did not care about losing the qualifying match, as long as mid-city won the tricolored race.

R.J. eventually cleared a path through grunting coaches and huffing students so that Mama Rose could hug and kiss her protesting son. Mr. Dan obeyed his son's pleas and only clapped a hand to the wet boy's chilled arm. "You're freezing boy!" He announced, snatching a towel from a fumbling swim coach to wrap it around Wes's shoulder.

A girl who had raced shouted back over the commotion, "Well we did just get out of the water. You want ta go for a swim Mr. Dan?" The kids laughed though a chilly shiver could be heard through it all.

"Sure Emry, let me just take off my tie and coat and I'll be right in." The older man retorted, already leading his son through the crowd and away from the water Wes was already casting longing glances at.

The girl called fleetingly though the pair and the rest of the group were mostly hidden from sight, "Sure thing Mr. Dan. You know I'm still waiting for that match."

Apart from the swim team, Dan muttered to the group, "I should have never become a swim team sponsor. I think those kids are actually trying to kill me!" Mama Rose laughed, shaking her head and patting her husband on his back. Back at the parking lots, Wes bid the group good byes with shaky damp hugs followed by his father's firm shoulder squeezes and Mama Rose's warm inviting embraces. The family bid the other's good bye one at a time and to Ted's surprise, not one looked like their good tidings for the Once-ler was forced or awkward. Wes's hug was the same kind he gave every guy, or every girl even, one that said he was clearly uncomfortable with physical contact especially since he was wet in the middle of the fall. The swimmer took Oncie's swimming praise and congratulations with the same humble embarrassment the kid always took up after a race. Dan left with a half hug and assurances that the Once-ler must visit his house for various reasons that changed every time he suggested it. Mama Rose had abandoned all of her judging and calculating looks long ago and sincerely told the Once-ler how positively overjoyed she was that Ted had brought him and that he was always welcome in her home.

Once the three left the couple with R.J. and EatR, the two single racers began some awkward feet shuffling that ended with Ted's yawn. "Yeah, I don't care what you two do, I think Once and I are gonna get home and hit our picnic blankets hard." The sun was only just setting but the Once-ler wished his boyfriend was serious about sleeping. They had had a long eventful day and laughter was far more exhausting than he remembered.

EatR smiled and gave Ted a big hug that the boy only returned a little awkwardly. It had been that way since he had learned that she was a stripper and even more so when he watched one of her shows. EatR did not seem put off by the difference though and she quickly moved on to wrap her arms around the Once-ler's neck to pull him down to her level. "You be good to him," She whispered before releasing the lanky man.

R.J. took Ted into a body swallowing man hug but merely firmly gripped the Once-ler's upper arm to the black haired man's relief. The two couples parted with Ted driving the Once-ler back to their new apartment. Once inside, the tanned boy began stripping nearly making his lover panic before the kid climbed into bed in his boxers. "Please tell me we are just going to sleep," The blue eyed man nearly begged the other.

Ted chuckled, "I'm good with that," his jaw creaked with another yawn, "Mind if we cuddle?"

Now in a pair of sleep pants, the Once-ler climbed into bed with his boyfriend ready to just rest up near the boy until they both drifted off to sleep but to his surprise Ted caught his lips in a slow languid, delicious kiss that ended with both tired men smiling at each other. The Once-ler scooted up the bed to lie on his back with his head comfortably resting on the fluffy pillows while Ted took up a position with his head on the other's chest and his hand slowly smoothing the pale skin covering the Once-ler's nearly nonexistent abs. The delicate motion tickled the Once-ler to sleep to the lullaby of Ted's breathing. The Once-ler did try to remember just before dozing but he could not summon a single instance when dating had been anything like that in his youth. He smiled, knowing only more was to come.

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><p>Yo, here is another chapter. I don't think anyone even got a chance to read the last one before I posted forty. I may start doing larger chapters further apart because I wanted to end this at fifty chapters, well actually the number was originally like twenty... I cannot even remember, it just was not supposed to be this long. What do you guys think about it?<p>

Thanks for reading. I love reviews and messages so do not be shy if you have anything to say. No more questions today kiddies! :(


	41. Dwelling

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my various original characters. Warning: Mentions of illegal acts of multiple kinds. Guy love.

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><p>Deep chasms in relatively pale flesh expanded and contracted as judging fingers fiddled with the daily deepening wrinkles. Almost in a rhythm the grooves stretched only to return to their now regular resting places. Helen Wiggins could remember a time when those lines had not been there. She could remember when they were not even a worry in the distant future but years in this city had made them come earlier to roost on her face than her mother's. Roost, yes, that was the word. That was the reason they were called crow's feet. They landed on your face, grew, and had little baby birds of their own. Only, instead of generations of the wrinkles leaving each time their spawn grew, they had more chicks, and those had more until things like Helen's face happened. She was not vain precisely. She was merely aware of what she had and where she stood. She had Ted that was the important thing. Ted was happy, yet another important thing. The most important thing was where this Once-ler fit into the equation. Was he merely Ted's replacement for Audrey? That seemed preposterous considering the boy and girl had less than a handful of things in common but she could not shake the feeling that Ted may still get hurt by the man.<p>

Brown eyes darkened by age met their reflection framed by the gaudy gold of the hotel room the Once-ler kept for her despite his own relocation to mid-city. If this was a game to the wealthy young man, he would soon learn that Ted's family was not one to be played with. Ted was sweet, sometimes too much so in Helen's opinion, his gracefully bowing out of sight when Audrey picked her man was enough to cement that idea in Helen's mind but his friends had a grit about them. The grandmotherly woman loved everyone Ted brought home, especially his first friend made down at those tracks, Wesley. Ted had come home with the boy sporting a 'Can we keep him Mommy?' look that really brought back fond memories for the woman. Unfortunately for the school boys, Wes's mother was called and the boy returned home. That was how she was introduced to a frustrated Rose and a tired Dan. She could empathize with the exasperation of a child sneaking out at night to visit Thneedville's underground street racing tracks and quickly a kinship was formed between both children and adults involved.

Meeting the others was a tad more nerve wracking but no less rewarding. A few older racers had taken Ted and eventually Wes under their wings. One morning after a night of worrying about Ted's absence had brought Helen's first encounter with EatR. Ted had been in his first scrap apparently ending badly on his part but a loose woman brought him home with an almost motherly demeanor. The bandages on her hand were still worn though Helen still had not figured out where they had come from. Helen did not have long to wonder over the girl's profession as her greasy lecherous companion, Errant made it abundantly clear. Neither her nor Rose had much of a taste for that boy, they both decided long ago that EatR belonged to another racer. She had only just met R.J. about a month before Ted's disappearance but to Dan, the giant and Buddy were love at first sight. The trio would go drinking or play cards whenever they felt that estrogen was seeping too readily into their pores and Helen could not be happier for them. It was good to get out of the house every now and again.

The thought of getting out brought her back to reality and the white haired woman straightened away from the mirror. It was past time to get going. Good thing she knew exactly where Once-ler wanted to meet. She did not have to go, the green suited man had made that plenty clear but she loved spending time with Ted, especially with him so happy. She clicked through the foyer of the penthouse suite to the elevator outside. As people entered around her for the descent down she nodded her head absently to the customary elevator music set to woodwinds and strings. Many people here eyed her mid-city clothes but none would dare make a comment. If she had the money to rent a room then that was enough to warrant her stay. One worker had suggested having someone go out with her to shop for clothes but her empty headed nodding was enough to quiet such talk. If Ted did have a falling out with his new boyfriend, she did not want to be stuck with a closet full of clothes that she would never wear. Maybe she would get a white dress if the two got married. Yes, when one of those boys walked down the aisle in a white dress, so would she. Her giggle at the idea attracted nervous glances from the other occupants of the elevator. "Have you ever noticed how there are a lot of older people living here with children?" She eyed the rich men and women with their taught skinned escorts, happy that EatR was not among them today. Confused gazes fled her own and she was allowed to exit the elevator first by an embarrassed unanimous decision.

The expensive lobby was crossed briskly with not a thought of what all those furnishings could have bought her and Ted after Theo passed on. No sense indwelling on the past. She had survived and more importantly, Ted was provided for. He grew up well enough.

She hopped into a cab and was nearly instantly whisked away to the meeting point. Ted's new little boyfriend had said it would be named 'Truffula Forest Garden' but now it looked like any other walled off section of the fun district only newer. It was a huge expanse of land that Helen knew had been deserted since the go kart track had closed down. She had actually been going to the plot of land in hopes of shelter from the smog ever present in Thneedville when she was thrown out of the home. Helen was not sure if she even made it to the sign on the side of the road before she gave up, she was not as young as she had once been and her wrinkles were not the only proof of that. Paying her fare the white haired woman exited the taxi only moments before the Once-ler's sleek dark green car slid to a stop in the closest spot to the wall's entrance.

The suited man waved her over, grinning like a maniac as he helped her son out of the car. Helen had merely a moment to wonder why Ted accepted the man's assistance before she notice the green silken handkerchief knotted around her son's eyes. That was right, today they were not only assessing the property and getting the seeds but presenting Ted with the pricey gift his boyfriend had picked out. Helen would have never given the Once-ler her informative contribution to the gift if she had known what it would be used for but Ted would like it and there was no sense dwelling, right?

The trio entered the padlocked area with the Once-ler teasing Ted the whole way quietly in his ear. Apparently, the taller man had not told Ted that he had a surprise for him at all and he just kept bringing up that the boy would be unable to go on the run tonight. That Ted would just get in the way. She watched the Once-ler walk her son to the gift but she could not take seeing him receive something like that. She had thought that part of her life was forever over when the suited man asked her permission to marry her son. She walked on to inspect the ground workers had been tilling tirelessly. She had never even heard of tilling before the green suited man stepped into her life. There was no sense dwelling on the past though. She could only look forward and hope it was prettier than the present.

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><p>Ted's leg continued twitching in annoyance as the Once-ler goaded him further, "But you look so pretty all blindfolded. I could think of better things to be doing with you so vulnerable but this is good too!" Ted decided that the Once-ler was way too excited about dirt. That was all they were really seeing today. The seeds would not even arrive until tonight as the Once-ler felt he needed to keep reminding his boyfriend.<p>

Ted chewed the inside of his lip, annoyed by the antics of his eccentric love interest. The drive here was far too long, blindfolded and listening to his boyfriend rave about getting the seeds tonight. "Plastic! Once-ler, would you just let me take this thing off so we can do this inspection you kept insisting I had to come to?" With that the smooth cool cloth came off his eyes to reveal not just dirt but a motorcycle. It was not just any cycle but a Zoomit. Not a design Ted recognized from the company, it looked like an even sleeker version of his Speeder in a satin black finish that Ted found just plain sexy at the moment. The whole thing reminded him of an athlete's body, well-tuned with not a superfluous ounce on it. Tanned hands found the perfectly unmarred surface without order's from his mind. As any would expect from Zoomit, not a single grain of metal was out of place. The almost velvety surface of the metal would be perfect for tonight's ride. This bike would be practically invisible come nightfall. The small amount of silver lettering tattooed on the motorcycle's side named it Shadow, fitting, very fitting, for the dull black paint job. "This isn't a tree." It was the first thought that went along with words to come to the brown eyed boy's mind. All he could really think about was the feel of riding, about what it would feel like riding the Shadow.

"No, no, not a tree but if you keep feeling it up like that I may start to get a bit jealous." Ted had almost forgotten the other man was in the room. He launched himself at the blue eyed man nearly knocking the taller off his feet. "Woah!"

"Thank you!" was the high pitched reply from Ted like he was choking up on the feeling of the moment. "I love you so much Oncie."

The slender suited chest rumbled with a chuckle as Ted clung to it. "Well in that case I can think of a good way for you to repay me." The top hatted man bent slightly to regard Ted at eye level. "You can stop calling me Oncie." An eager kiss from Ted sealed the deal.

Ted would have agreed to anything in that moment. He wanted so badly to hop onto the slender vehicle and bring it for a test drive but there was business to deal with first. Once-ler was serious about checking the soil today it seemed. For what seemed like days the man went around prodding the dirt with ungloved fingers, smelling it in the palm of his hand and remarking to the workers about what to do about anything he did not find up to standard. The business man was much more at ease weaving between he workers as they bustled around than Ted was. The younger felt as though he should be right up next to the people who were installing the transparent roof. Ted had heard of skylights but whole roofs made of glass seemed strange but the Once-ler did seem to know what he was doing here so the boy did not open his mouth until they were leaving and then only to bid his boyfriend goodbye for a few hours so he could become better acquainted with his new bike.

The ride was better than Ted could have ever imagined. He could barely feel the feint vibration that told him the engine was ignited. More sensitive than what he was used to, this motorcycle could turn on a dime but was not too susceptible to movements. It was more like the vehicle simply moved with him instead of him moving it. He could feel the road beneath the Shadow as he molded with the black metal. As one they lapped the city, weaving between cars congested in traffic. Ted showed his new toy around. Together they sped past all of the important places in Ted's life, taking roads that were worn by his own frequent treks but all new to the Shadow. It felt new to him as well. Driving past his old home and work place he felt dips and ridges he had never noticed on his rides with his Speeder. On this, no bump was enough to throw him off balance but he was aware.

The tracks were all dry now and welcomed the Shadow like an old friend. Broken stone was felt but far from perilous on this ride through. Ted finished the course in what he felt was record time but the real challenge would be doing it with another on the track. Perhaps R.J. would be willing to do a ride through after work tonight. Ted zipped back to his apartment in mid-city breathing in the fresh scented filtered air through his new Zoomit helmet. It was all new: the ride and the helmet. Even if Ted was unaccustomed to the new sensations, he drifted along seamlessly. He, the Shadow, and the road all worked to bring him home to the Once-ler. The stop was just as fluid as any other part of the ride. The Shadow merely glided across the ground like its namesake before halting in a smooth coast. Ted pulled the new vehicle into the apartment's garage before entering the threshold to find Oncie pouring himself over a large pile of loose papers.

Ted approached quietly to wrap his arms around the distracted man and press a chaste kiss to his temple. "Hey Once. Whatchya doin'?" The seated man barely seemed to register his boyfriend's appearance so Ted took it upon himself to examine the exposed documents. Mug shots of his friends stared back at him: R.J., Errant, S.S., and EatR. Other racers lay scattered over the table as well, rivals of Ted's. Some of those files had red ink littering their surfaces. Haster, Sadiq, and Frank had the least amount of color in their files. Ted rather liked the three racers though Sadiq was determined to try his strength against R.J. and EatR hated Frank's guts. The other, more distasteful racers did not seem important to either man staring at the files so Ted turned back to his friends. Neat red lettering on EatR's file caught Ted's attention first. Bankruptcy, widow, and instable seemed like the most vile curse words in existence when coupled with the girl's picture. EatR had been married? Ted turned to R.J.'s file to see incarceration staring up at him tauntingly. R.J. had been in jail? Twice the file said: armed robbery and assault and battery. The actual police reports were hidden beneath a compiled summary of the man's life but Ted's eyes drifted back towards EatR's file. It had more pictures stacked just under the first. Ted reached out to uncover the hidden images but a cool pale hand snatched his wrist before he could make contact.

The Once-ler's eyes were trained on Ted's but the boy merely smiled at his lover and pulled his hand back away from the file. "I requested all documented information for perspective riders in my employ," the Once-ler explained, "I didn't read over all of it. Not the information on your friends at least. It seemed too personal. The other's though, do you think they will work together? Police reports mention rival racers nearly killing each other in street fights but you would know better than these pieces of paper." The tired blue eyed man lifted an aforementioned sheet to wiggle it around as though to emphasize how flimsy and weak the synthetic material was.

Ted squinted at the sheets. "If there is enough money involved, they will do anything with closed mouths and clenched fists but they will get the job done. Some will need supervision though. Someone who is impartial needs to be in charge." Ted's eyes found Brees's red soaked file, "Someone like Brees." Tanned hands lifted the quiet man's summary to allow brown eyes to glance over the numerous marks against him. Brees too had gone to jail, on many accounts. In his youth he had been involved in the sale and distribution of drugs. He was caught when going out to smuggle artifacts from the outside when everyone wanted those rusty axes in their houses. Recent reports called his level of activity dormant with the exception of an occasional race. He was older now, probably in his late forties and had not won a single race since Ted had come around the tracks but everyone respected him. Other notes stated that it was believed he murdered his wife and kids but Ted knew that could not be true. The man had loved his family. He still did, buying them flowers and toys on occasion to lie on their graves. Rumors on the tracks said that sharks were the hands that took Brees down and Ted believed it. Other marks against him were about as substantial as the murder charges. "He can lead us." Ted nodded matter-of-factly.

The Once-ler skimmed over the file with quickly widening blue gray eyes. "You're sure?" At Ted's nod, he began shuffling through the rest of the file but tanned hands were the ones to catch his own this time.

"He never killed anyone. He is good." Ted assured then a question popped into his head. "Isn't the run tonight? It's kind of last minute to ask any of them to show up. Plus you may not want some of them near your house. That is where we are going, isn't it?" The Once-ler had said that four bikes would be enough. Why was he looking at all of these other racers?

"Oh, yeah. I was just… I was just getting a feel for the city in case if I need a future job done." The Once-ler was lying to Ted but the boy didn't pay it any mind at the moment. Ted was busy looking at the summaries again. Did Oncie get his file sent over? What would be in his file? Would Oncie read it? The Once-ler shuffled the piles of papers together and placed Brees's on top. It was decided; the businessman had a big job to do and it was one that he didn't want his boyfriend to know about.

There was no sense dwelling on things the Once-ler would not admit so Ted ignored them. "Let's take a shower," The younger man suggested bringing out a grin from his lover. It was midafternoon leaving the pair hours of playtime before they met up with the racers for the run tonight and they were determined to enjoy every bit of it.

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><p>As much as I am trying to lengthen the chapters, it feels unnatural to me. Later chapters will probably be longer since I am swiftly approaching huge chunks of the story I have already written. I wrote some of this chapter eons ago but had to change it so that may be happening a lot over the next few weeks.<p>

Can anyone guess what game I watched today while trying to think of a name for one of the racers? I'll give you a hint, the first three quarters have been heart breaking for me so far... Time for heart healing questions!

Will the Once-ler ever start aging again? This is kind of the point of this story. The Once-ler learns a lesson and breaks his curse... And when does he start to grow trees again? :O The growing trees thing should start soon. They are getting seeds now after all, well tonight. Lots of seed, yes. By spring the trees will be growing. It is fall. In both real life and the story. Will he save the world he once destroyed? :D Will Oncie save the world? Hm, I am not sure even Oncie can do it all by himself.

It looks like stupid questions are a thing of the past. I guess all of the readers who did not get this story just kind of flaked off but I still love to get the questions.

Thank for continuing to read and review guys, it makes writing that much more fun!


	42. Keeping hold

Heya. Sorry for the long wait. I did not know there were still people interested in reading this. I am not stopping. I have written too much of this story. The whole thing is just one big sex scene today. Sorry to the squeamish.

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><p>MMM<p>

The Once-ler could not quell the rapid pounding of his heart. It seemed that no matter how many times he did this, it never ceased to excite him. Lips broke away from his for the first time in what could have been hours but felt like entirely too short a time. His pale eyelids lifted a bit so blue rimmed pupils could peek out and see the utterly delectable spectacle before him. Ted stood before him, still clothed in his synthetic black jacket that vaguely reminded Once-ler of a leather biker jacket and jeans. The boy's freckles had disappeared in a face dominating flush that only further made the taller man's blood boil. Brown eyes were locked on his own with a feral hunger that the Once-ler could sympathize with. Enough of a break for a breath or two that was all it was, then the lover's met again with a renewed vigor in their battle of body verses body.

Hands ruled the battlefront, their gropes and tugs picking up the only real land won or surrendered. Before long, coats were shed, rich fine green along with heavy black found their way to the floor indiscriminately. Long pale fingers shook with anticipation as they traveled up a T shirt clad chest. Tanned hands gripped clothing along the slender man's back: a button up shirt and the seat of pinstriped pants. Hips met in a stalemate of rocking and jutting against one another but the real masterminds of the war were hot mouths that clashed in the heated forefront of the battle. Tongues, teeth, and lips met and parted in sync always ready for the next move of their match. Fine white teeth clinked together as one set took over the bottom lip of the enemy causing Ted to groan with the small loss. As the kid was temporarily distracted, the Once-ler pushed against his solid form until his back hit the wall.

A black haired head dipped down to pepper kisses along Ted's more than willing neck as he sent his pale hands into the boy's T shirt for some much deserved recon. The flesh of Ted's abs was heated and felt smooth and firm beneath the Once-ler's grasp. Every one of the older man's moves was aimed at eliciting new noises from the boy beneath him. Moans filled the rooms around them, the bedroom and the bathroom opening off of it. 'Where to go?' the Once-ler mused. It seemed like his mind was never made up until Ted's back met the bed. 'So much for taking a shower, maybe later.' His hands moved further up bringing Ted's shirt along with them to throw it off to the side and out of the way. As the Once-ler's mouth found its way to the brunet's collar bone a loud groaned out moan startled him out of his concentration. 'What is this that is driving the boy so mad?' Experimental teeth found the same spot and brought to life a small shuddering gasp that the Once-ler was sure was Ted's attempt at covering up one of his sweet spots. Fingers touched and prodded finding the boy tensed up as pressure was applied maybe an inch above his clavicle. Tender lips kissed the spot causing the boy to whimper.

"Once, please," Ted whined but said no more so the Once-ler parted his lips to let his straight white chompers sink into the sensitive flesh before them. "Plastic, Oncie!" The boy gasped as his whole body tensed. The shaky breath he let out afterwards was enough to make the older man grin. If he did not know better, the Once-ler would think Ted was a virgin by his reaction to that little nibble.

Pale slender fingers found Ted's jeans, gently caressing the hard flesh hidden by his fly while continuing to mouth at the special area he had just found. He chuckled hot breath over the saliva slick skin before him as the brunet practically writhed beneath him. "Y'alright Ted?" The blue eyed man asked as he popped the button on Ted's pants out of its hole.

The younger male's face was as red as when they were caught in bed by his friends. Ted seemed at a loss for words as his hands came down in vain to cover the lower half of his face. He knew that he had already lost this battle. "Fine, just fine," The younger man replied curtly.

His face deepened as his lover's grin broadened. He couldn't find time to be embarrassed as one of the Once-ler's bare hands wrapped around his engorged length and the other worked both his jeans and underwear off his legs to catch somewhere in the bed sheets on the foot of the bed. The older man was still far too clothed but Ted could hardly raise an argument as his lover continued to work his shaft and descended back to abuse his neck some more though this time on the other side. Hard to concentrate was a distinct understatement for the teenager. He couldn't remember a time when he was more lost in the ministrations of another. He probably never had been. It was not like he was extraordinarily practiced in all of this. What was Once doing to his neck though, and why did it feel so damned good? How many times had they fucked so far? Ted could not honestly remember at the moment. Surely they would have found every hot spot on each other by now, right? The brunet did not know, perhaps he was far too inexperienced to match the Once-ler, but right now with the other abusing that insanely hot portion of his neck while working his dick with his other hand barely grazing Ted's balls on it way further south. He did not care. As long as Once didn't leave him hot and bothered like this to take care of himself, Ted could not make himself care less even as a thin pale finger breached his outer walls to stretch him. Through all of the Once-ler wrought pleasure, Ted could barely feel the fingers working their way in and out of him in preparation for the big finale. It was all too much. There was no way the boy would be able to hold back much longer if the Once-ler kept up like this. "Once, please," Ted whimpered as his face heated up to the point he worried whether humans could spontaneously combust. His voice had really sounded that meager and pathetic. What had the Once-ler done to him?

The Once-ler paused to examine his young consort. Ted's flush was spread over his whole body giving him an almost sunburnt appearance despite his tanned skin. Red had never looked so good on anyone in the Once-ler's opinion. The kid was completely at his mercy like this. His brown hair shooting up at odd angles from his blushing face complemented the utterly helpless words of his young lover. Biting the inside of his bottom lip, the Once-ler withdrew his hands from Ted. Brown eyes focused in on him through a distant haze of lust as the older man's pale fingers worked to remove the rest of his expensive suit. He wasn't in any rush, seeing the younger man like this was far too much of a treat. From top to bottom he worked the buttons out of the holes on his shirt, not at all rushing when he saw the somewhat distressed look on his lover's face. Ted would have to learn to slow down sometime. Unfortunately, the sight captured his pleasure dilated blue eyes and pushed any thought of dragging out this encounter out of his lust muddled mind.

The kid actually moaned a little when the Once-ler finally started pulling his pants off. The smirk that appeared on the taller man's face felt unstoppable. Ted was completely at his mercy. This could work very well for him. He kicked the rest of his clothes off of his pale body and climbed up the bed to his young lover. He nudged Ted's legs apart and the tanned appendages wrapped obediently around their mate's hips.

The Once-ler lowered himself, caressing the boy's toned body as he brought their lips together. Ted was not in the mood for wasting time with things like romance. The brunet quickly opened his mouth and deepened the kiss as much as he could from his submissive position on his back and the blue eyed man found the attempt at control endearing. He took a firm hold of the boy's hips and pushed in noting that no matter how much easier it was than when they first started this affair, it still felt just as good.

Ted broke the kiss trembling with his reddened lips still parted. For a moment all the pale man could do was stare at the wonder beneath him. Ted's blush had mostly subsided now but there was still a faint pink tint on his cheeks from the intimate activities. The boy was breathing heavily definitely more than ready to continue what they'd started but the Once-ler wanted to keep this moment as long as he could. Once the trees started growing, things would change. Money did things to people and he and Ted would be the two wealthiest men in Thneedville. They would grow detached. The Once-ler knew they would still love each other but it just would not be the same.

Ted wanted more than just this moment however. He grabbed the Once-ler's head and forced a searing kiss on him as he rocked his hips to create some form a friction. The Once-ler would give Ted anything the boy wanted. He began snapping his hips to meet the boy's erratic pace while molesting the other's mouth for all it was worth. This sort of passion could in no way be bought. It was not something the Once-ler found fake able.

The shared pace was quick, almost desperate. Every time their hips met, both men could not hold back their sounds of pleasure as every nerve in their body sang in bliss. The Once-ler was numb, he was burning, and he just could not stop. Ted's brown eyes were locked on his own. Ted's muscles moved instinctually to meet every thrust of his lover and it was just so incredible, the older man had to marvel at the boy's complete control of every muscle in his body.

The pale hand that had not somehow buried itself into brown locks wrapped around Ted's length and began to pump to the beat of their heated dance. Ted fell back to the bed. He had given up on trying to kiss the other and his body began to lose control. The Once-ler increased the tempo as he too could no longer take it. He needed to tip over that edge and… With a final thrust Ted released with an arch of his back while his body constricted the Once-ler. The older man jerked uncontrollably before finally collapsing onto his lover as a warmth spread through his body to replace the burning that had been there moments before.

A tranquil placidity over took the blue eyed man as he gazed at the thoroughly loved boy beside him. Ted still had his eyes closed though now his mouth had drifted shut as his breathing slowed. The Once-ler smiled at his lover who was drifting on the cusp of the waking world. There were still a few hours left until tonight's work. He would let the kid sleep for a little bit.

Slender fingers set a timer on their alarm clock to go off an hour before the two had to meet up with the other motorcyclists. He propped his pale body up on his elbows with a resolve to go downstairs to continue his research before flopping back on to the bed. There were still a few days left until he had to have all pieces in their places. He looked over at Ted's peaceful face and decided trying to memorize every detail of his boyfriend's face after sex was a far more pressing matter. Somewhere between trying to count the younger man's freckles and putting together the exact colors in that slight blush spread sparingly across the sleeping boy's face, blue grey eyes fluttered shut only to see the same face smiling mischievously at him within his lids.

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><p>Oh Shezingar! I was trying to get this up so bad that I missed the questions the first time around. I will answer them in the same order they were given to me.<p>

Why did oncie (sorry once!) have files of teds friends and others? Plot my dear Watson, plot. Once wants to do something he is keeping a secret. If anyone guesses exactly what he wants done before it is written, I will literally mail them cookies. WILL HE BE COSUMED BY GREED AGAIN?! O_O hopefully not! Hun, this chapter foreshadows whether that is going to happen. The curse is Disney sounding and since the story is still going and written around the curse, I will let you infere what you want so I do not give away any important information. Once oncie saves his town will he stay with Ted? Or was Ted just a time consumer for him to pass the time? Le gasp! How could anyone say that about Ted? I got a question for you. What makes you think that if I have one break up with the other, it will be Ted? These are great questions by the way. They are like trying to write out a whole new plot for me. Too bad I am writing this story... WILL TED AND ONCIE GET MARRIED!? 3 yay! They should have childrens! Lol jk but still! A girl can dream!Ted and Oncie will not marry in this story. There will be a sequel so you can petition for a wedding in that. There will be absolutely no male pregnancies if I have my say in this story. Are Dan, Rose and Wesley in the movie? Yes. Wes glows. But anyway will he ever start aging again? That ties into the curse thing. The name of the story insinuates that the curse is the main point of the tale but I will let you deliberate whether it will be lifted. How mean am I? And when does he start to grow trees again? Trees are coming. Plot is coming. Will he save the world he once destroyed? I hope so... EatR is pronounced Eater in my head but readers can do what they want with that... The final question has got to be the most confusing for the readers of this story... IS DEH UNCELUR GHAY? Hyuk hyuk DERP. Nah, just Ted... The rest is rape. ^.^


	43. Escape

Ted was pretty pissed. An hour earlier he had awoken to the horrid screeching of an alarm clock. Even now, Ted was debating whether O'Hare himself had invented the evil machine to further torture the human race. It was as though slowly killing everyone was not enough. O'Hare would make something like the device just to ensure people's misery before they died. Once did not seem the least bit perturbed as he overlooked his hired help with hands on his hips. The subtle curve to his lover's lips made Ted wonder if the Once-ler realized just how dangerous leaving the city was. The tall lanky man was still dressed in his garish green suit that made Ted shiver with want. The gloves the Once-ler wore were never meant for hard work but here the man was ready to make the Escape as he wrapped long green cloth covered arms around Ted's solid body on the Shadow.

Sure the Escape was something each of the bikers present had done at some point or another. Escape is was what they always called leaving the city and that was what it really was to the often lower class riders. It would serve as a mad dash to freedom for the pitiless vermin of Thneedville. But the Escape was just a name. There was no escape waiting for them out there. Truthfully, there was nowhere for them to run. Brown eyes focused in on the barren landscape as the small caravan of motorcycles filtered out in to the open air of the outside world.

Every time they escaped, it was a futile spurt. The whole ride was a farce of what they named it as the monstrous captor laughed at the pathetic attempts of the fleeing humans. It was a race for them to escape not only their homely prison, but from the deceptively insubstantial seeming reach of their confines. It was always difficult to see how a single entity reached beyond its physical manifestation to affect beyond its borders but here it was, in more than just stark black lettering on a flimsy white sheeted background.

The idea of the pollution was so much more here, where a blanket of smog laid oppressively over any bare earth that could have possibly hoped to spring any new growth. Here, that blanket smothered any life as easily as a fire blanket suffocated a fire, ensuring its death in such a clean and quiet way. But the blanket of bad air was not the only extinguisher of the fire of life found out here. Also, trenches of sludge around the oppressive metal beast of a city sent out talons to dig painfully into the land disguised cleverly as quiet creeks and still ponds. The grey scene deafened Ted with its grave like silence. One day, Thneedville could be like this. How long until the inside of the city walls mirrored this still topography, void of life?

Pressure from the hands on his chest brought the young motorcyclist back from his dismal debate on the state of the countryside. The Once-ler was probably focusing in on the dry jagged stumps of all the trees he cut down or the cold axe machines that he designed to do the deed. Ted could not blame the other man for keeping a tight grip on the driver while Ted leaned to and fro to weave between the various obstacles the Once-ler had set up on the path to his house. Many of these, Ted knew, were placed here haphazardly as the field workers deserted them when they were laid off but most of the pieces were laid out where they were tossed by scavengers a couple of years ago. The thought of anyone wanting these monuments to greed was beyond the young man.

Sure, Ted wanted. There was no end to Ted's wants. He was near the bottom of the city's food chain when he met the Once-ler. Ted knew what it was like to be barely scraping by with enough to keep him off of the streets and away from certain death. There were a lot of things Ted wanted but he had never thought of himself as particularly greedy. Greed was when you had it all and still wanted more. Maybe riches made people greedy. Once had it all at one time but he still kept taking and taking until nothing was left for him to take anymore. When Ted had met him, the Once-ler was left wanting too. The older man had everything and lost it. Ted almost felt sorry for the man who was wrapped securely around him. Once did still have the money but he had absolutely no one. Ted could not understand why a rich man who looked like him would live all alone in a place like this. Once must have had a reason for it.

Ted came to an easy stop in front of the steps up to the Once-ler's lurkem and kicked the Shadow's stand out with ease before climbing off of his bike. He helped his boyfriend off of the machinery as well with a hand held out as support for the Once-ler's gloved one. Ted almost laughed as the other man all but stumbled into him and pulled off his designer green and black helmet made that matched his suit perfectly. The eccentric man had actually wanted to wear his top hat tonight but Ted eventually convinced him that the choice was not a very good one. Now black brows crinkled the skin between them in confusion.

"What's the matter, Once?" Ted's voice sounded almost normal as it filtered out of the Zoomit helmit. They had not returned since the time the Once-ler ran away. Ted surveyed the damaged porch quickly and decided it could be easily repaired.

The Once-ler's face looked paler than usual in the grayed brown landscape. "I think someone was here." The man explained as he placed his helmet on the seat of the Shadow. "Never mind, let's get this over with."

Ted pulled off his helmet and followed his boyfriend's example, seeing the other racers do the same. The group climbed the steps warily and the Once-ler slowly opened the door before peeking timidly into his own home. EatR pushed forward saying, "Oh for the love of plastic," and banged the door open all the way creating a sharp echo down the entryway hall. She rapped her knuckles against the wall sharply making the men around her wince with the loud noises before she called out. "Hello! Anyone home? No? Well we'll just get what we came here for then." She took a few steps into the house and crossed her arms as the men followed her in.

The Once-ler sighed and led the way down the halls to the cellar. "They're in the basement." Ted could see from the set of the older man's shoulders that he was uncomfortable with the other racers in his old house. Errant ran a hand through his long black hair and cast wary glances at the house as though it would collapse right over their heads. S.S. merely went along his way quietly with his blond buzz cut bobbing this way and that as he examined the details of the Once-ler's abode. EatR's response was not much different. She just tagged along near the back of the group as the five climbed down into the dark basement.

Ted pulled the switch for the light down there and the dusty room lit up. A drawing of an orange fluffy creature still lay on the floor next to the Once-ler's box of old pictures. It seemed the older man missed one when he was picking up but that was not what the Once-ler went to kneel down next to. Green gloved hands tossed away the lid to one of the crates and soon old marshmallow bags followed suit. Once pulled out a blackened jar and tried to open it. The older man grunted as his fine gloved fingers broke large chips of old paint to flake off to the floor. After a moment of struggling, the wealthy man just threw the jar down to break against the stone floor making the racers all jump.

Errant grumbled. "What the hell is he doing?"

The Once-ler was now picking through the shards of shattered glass in the dust. "Where is it? Where is it?" He jumped up with a clenched fist. "Aha! Still here ya little bugger." He kissed whatever was in his hand and spun around a little as his voice rose in pitch. "And still viable! Haha! You sweet beautiful little-"

The man went on but EatR grabbed Ted's jacket and pulled him closer to whisper. "I think your boyfriend is cheating on you Teddy." Ted swatted the humored girl away and approached the dancing man to bring him back to reality with just a touch.

Once's head snapped towards Ted and blue eyes flicked over each of the racers. "Start opening the jars. They're in the bottoms of all the crates. We'll put all the seeds in sacks for transportation." The man smiled with a laugh. "No more hiding them from the elements. The time has finally come to plant!"

Ted felt a chill run up his spine at the man's earnest words.

* * *

><p>Seeds? No way! And I even mentioned the jars like twenty or so chapters ago... I got a couple of vague questions like what is Oncie planning and what is going to happen but I am not just going to write a synopses of the rest of the story in my author's note... so. Same reviewer did ask what was on O'Hare's desk however which is a good question so I will give you some hints. I have already said that it made an appearance in the old movie and book. I think it was in the new movie as well but I would have to watch it again to be positive. Good thing it is on my night stand. Also, they are generally green and prickly. That is all.<p> 


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